It was great to see so many worthy finalists and winners recognised at last night’s Worcestershire Apprenticeships Awards.

I would like to extend my congratulations to all the finalists and winners, with special congratulations to Phosters (FM) Ltd who were named as the Worcestershire Apprenticeship Employer of the Year, sponsored by Yamazaki Mazak, and Thomas Smith from DRPG who won the Worcestershire Apprentice of the Year award, sponsored by Southco Manufacturing UK.

The awards continue to be one of the most popular events in Worcestershire’s business calendar and a total of 320 people were treated to an inspiring and entertaining ceremony which celebrated the county’s best apprentices, apprenticeship employers, careers leads, schools and training providers. Our thanks go to the former Paralympian Gold Medallist, Marc Woods, who did a fantastic job in hosting the popular event.

I think the Worcestershire business and skills community should also be congratulated for the combined support from employers, training providers and schools which are all contributing to the success of apprenticeships in the county. It is part of Worcestershire LEP’s strategy to invest in supporting this community and encourage the development of more apprenticeships in order to grow the county’s skilled workforce of the future.

I would encourage local employers to strongly consider apprenticeships, if they are not already doing so. The Worcestershire Apprenticeships website provides vital information on employing an apprentice and the advantages this can bring to the business and I hope to see more local employers take part in the awards going forward.

For further information on the Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards 2019 or Apprenticeships in the county, visit the Worcestershire Apprenticeships website, worcsapprenticeships.org.uk

To view the highlights from the Worcestershire Apprenticeships Awards, use the hashtag #WorcsApprentice on Twitter.