West Berkshire apprentices in spotlight for Rising Stars Awards
Achievements of local businesses and apprentices recognised
WEST Berkshire apprentices and their employers were honoured at West Berkshire Training Consortium’s Rising Stars Awards at Arlington Arts Centre recently.
The event saw the apprentices graduate and celebrate their achievements with employers, followed by the awards ceremony recognising the best local individuals and companies for work-based learning.
The MP for Newbury, Richard Benyon, addressed the graduates in front of local employers, dignitaries, learners and their friends and families.
The managing director of the consortium, Matt Garvey, said: “It was an uplifting and inspiring event that for the first time in our organisation’s history offered apprentices the chance to celebrate in front of the local community and their peers.
“The Rising Stars Awards showcased some inspirational people and organisations without whom good-quality learning could not take place.”
The winners received a trophy from the award sponsor and individual winners received £150. Newbury accountants James Cowper Kreston apprentice Hannah Hunter-Flack was named Apprentice of the Year at the awards.
And a further six apprentices at James Cowper Kreston were awarded ‘Certificates of Achievement’.
Robert Holland, managing partner at James Cowper Kreston, said: “Hannah has a real can-do attitude, with no job too great or too small.”
The winners were:
Large employer of the year (250+ employees, sponsored by Newbury Weekly News): Sovereign Housing
Medium employer (50-249 employees, sponsored by Thatcham MIRRC): Compressor Products International of Hungerford
Small employer (10-49 employees, sponsored by BNI Newbury): Stream Networks
Micro employer (nine or fewer employees, sponsored by West Berkshire Community Learning Partnership and West Berkshire Council): BGM Heating & Plumbing Ltd
Supervisor/mentor (for front-line staff who mentor apprentices, sponsored by Benchmark Furniture): Eleanor Martin of Newbury Library
Adult learner (for learners aged 19+ not on an apprenticeship, sponsored by Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership): Christina Lewis
Young learner (for non-employed students aged 16-18, sponsored by James Cowper Kreston LLP): Samuel Wimbridge
Apprentice (sponsored by Verbatim Call Centres): Hannah Hunter-Flack of James Cowper
