STAFF at Hanley Castle High School were celebrating last night (Thursday) after scooping a top award in Worcestershire’s leading apprenticeship awards.
The Malvern Hills school retained its ‘School of the Year’ title at the Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards 2016 at West Midland Safari Park.
More than 300 apprentices, apprentice employers and businesses attended the popular awards ceremony which recognised the county’s best apprentices, apprentice employers, schools and training providers.
The prestigious awards, now in their third year, are an initiative from Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership and Worcestershire County Council. The first ever winner of BBC show The Apprentice, Tim Campbell hosted the ceremony.
And, like last year, it was joy for Hanley Castle who picked up silverware for retaining its status as a major link to local firms.
There was also delight for Malvern Intruments worker Justin McKeon who won Intermediate Level Apprentice of the Year.
Justin provides invaluable support to the Accounts Payable and Receivable teams at Malvern Instruments and is always eager to take on more responsibility.
His employers have said how he is an excellent role model in that he promotes his apprenticeship experience to others, particularly to those with Asperger Syndrome.
The two top awards on the evening went to DRP from Kidderminster who won the Worcestershire Apprenticeship Employer of the Year award and Pippa Dressler-Pearson from Southco Ltd in Worcester who won the Worcestershire Apprentice of the Year.
Ceremony host Tim Campbell said: “I would like to congratulate all the finalists and winners at this year’s Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards for their outstanding achievements.
“The Awards ceremony captured the success of Worcestershire’s apprenticeships and the positive impact that they are having on apprentices, apprentice employers, schools and training providers.”
Gary Woodman, chief executive of Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership, added: “Yet again, the awards proved to be a fantastic occasion to recognise the success of our local apprentices, apprenticeship employers, schools and training providers.
“We had some excellent entries and so to be a finalist and a winner are both significant achievements. I would like to thank all of the sponsors who supported this fantastic event as well as all those who support apprenticeships in the County.”
