Finalists for this year’s record-breaking Apprenticeship and Training Awards have been revealed.
Formerly known as the AAC Apprenticeship Awards, over 600 nominations were submitted from employers, training providers, colleges and universities, nearly doubling last year’s tally.
Run jointly by FE Week and the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) and delivered in partnership with City and Guilds, the eighth annual awards celebrate top-of-the-class training, outstanding outreach and exceptional employers.
This year’s categories celebrate innovative training, employer support for social mobility, and excellence in learner support, alongside the coveted awards for employer and provider of the year.
Lloyds Banking Group, Bagnalls, London Ambulance Service and Pendennis Shipyard are this year’s finalists for large employer of the year.
Meanwhile Cardiff and Vale College, Merseyside Fire and Rescue, Salford City College Group and Truro and Penwith College are each up for apprenticeship provider of the year.
And either Learning Curve Group, Baltic Apprenticeships, Catch or Pearson TQ will be named training provider of the year.
Finalists were selected by a 20-strong panel of judges including AELP’s CEO Ben Rowland, apprenticeship influencer Holly Hobbs, former skills minister Anne Milton and UCAS head of apprenticeships Lindsay Conroy.
A parliamentary reception will take place at the House of Commons as part of National Apprenticeships Week in February to recognise this year’s finalists. The winners will be announced at the Apprenticeships and Training Conference gala dinner and awards evening on March 11 in Liverpool.
Shane Mann, chief executive of FE Week’s publisher EducationScape, said: “I know I speak on behalf of all the judges in pointing out what a tough job we had this year. We saw so many examples of great practice from employers and training organisations thinking outside the box, taking risks, and genuinely putting their learners first.
“Congratulations to all finalists. I look forward to celebrating your achievements at the parliamentary reception next year before announcing the winners at the Apprenticeships and Training Conference in Liverpool.”
The awards have been refreshed with a host of new categories.
PTP Training, Exeter College, Serco and South Essex Colleges Group are up for innovation in training delivery.
Battling it out for the outstanding apprenticeship programme of the year are Cardiff City Football Club, EMTEC Automotive Apprenticeships (part of Nottingham College), Gateshead College and Northern Trains.
The awards will also mark the best workplace readiness scheme, specialist training provider of the year and best new apprenticeship programme.
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