Celebrating the University’s inaugural Apprenticeship Awards

Prizes were bestowed on apprentices who had made an outstanding contribution to their job or workplace. Awards for ‘Apprenticeship Ambassador of the Year’ and ‘Employer of the Year’ were also presented

WINNERS of the University of Huddersfield’s first-ever Apprenticeship Awards were conferred during an official ceremony to celebrate the excellence of its students working as apprentices as part of their courses. 

Presenting the awards was the University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Bob Cryan.  An advocate of the University’s Degree Apprenticeship Scheme, the Vice-Chancellor personally congratulated each winner as they collected their award. 

“The University’s apprenticeships continue to grow from strength to strength. Today the University enjoys relationships with over 90 apprenticeship employers, and our apprentices remain some of the most engaged and highest achieving in the sector.” 

Brian Culleton, the University's Director of Apprenticeships.

Degree apprenticeships are a way for employers to support their staff to study for university qualifications. Apprentices spend part of their time at university and the rest at their place of work, benefitting from on-the-job training enhanced by their university education. 

The Vice-Chancellor said how the University had, to date, been part of the career development journey of over 800 apprentices. 

“The Apprenticeship Awards have been created to acknowledge some of the incredible achievements of our apprentices, their employers and the hidden talents of our Apprenticeship Ambassadors,” said Professor Cryan. 

“Our teaching colleagues, apprenticeship support teams, student services and our employers have all played a vital role in changing the lives of so many people. I’m immensely proud of these collaborative relationships, which are centred on providing the best possible experience for each one of our apprentices.” 

Professor Cryan noted the importance of these first awards and how they acknowledged the efforts made by both apprentices and employers under the trying circumstance of the COVID19 pandemic, which of course, presented many, many challenges for all concerned. 

“Despite these challenges, we have all pulled together and this shines through the continued success of our apprentices,” he said. 

Prizes were bestowed on the apprentices who had made an outstanding contribution to their job or workplace. Awards for ‘Apprenticeship Ambassador of the Year’ and ‘Employer of the Year’ were also presented.

Level 7 Apprentice of the Year

Winning the category for ‘Level Seven Apprentice of the Year’, the highest degree apprenticeship an individual can achieve, was the University’s Vikki Hart, who is Operations Manager of the award-winning None in Three Research Centre for the Global Prevention of Gender-Based Violence.

Vikki’s achievements during the Senior Leaders and Managers Apprenticeship, which she completed alongside managing the None In Three Research Centre, were quoted as ‘astounding’ by ceremony chair and the University’s Director of Apprenticeships, Brian Culleton.

A particularly noteworthy achievement related to a board game Vikki had developed on gender-based violence for young people from rural India.  Brian Culleton revealed how it had since been enthusiastically taken up and included within a funding proposal for the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). 

“Receiving my award from the University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Bob Cryan was, for me, one of the highlights of my career. I am especially thankful to the academic course team within Huddersfield Business School for their fantastic support. It was wonderful to see the University celebrating the achievements of apprenticeship students in this way.” 

Vikki Hart, Operations Manager of the None In Three Research Centre.

Vikki admitted completing the Senior Leaders Apprenticeship, alongside studying towards an MBA and working full-time, not to mention all whilst during a global pandemic, had been undoubtedly challenging. 

“However, with great support from the teaching team, my fellow students, line manager and my family, I was determined to make the most of the opportunity to showcase my leadership skills whilst also gaining a highly relevant, professional qualification,” said Vikki. 

“Receiving my award from the University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Bob Cryan was, for me, one of the highlights of my career,” she added. “I am especially thankful to the academic course team within Huddersfield Business School for their fantastic support. It was wonderful to see the University celebrating the achievements of apprenticeship students in this way.” 

Level 6 Apprentice and Apprenticeship Ambassador of the Year

The award for ‘Level Six Apprentice of the Year’ was presented to Lauren Walton, a registered nurse and degree apprentice with Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust. Also working for the Trust was the recipient of the award for 'Apprenticeship Ambassador of the Year', Lead Clinical Educator for Nursing Associates, Sarah Robson.

Lauren’s nominee described how she always shows commitment and enthusiasm to provide the best possible care and support to the patients she cares for and the family members she supports. 

“Lauren has a natural ability with building relationships. This is evidenced by the award nomination she received from the critical care team,” said Brian Culleton. 

“She constantly uses her skills and knowledge within critical care to support other learners who are new to the area which serves to increase student wellbeing and support during their placement.”

The winner of 'Apprenticeship Ambassador of the Year', Sarah Robson, has led and championed the Nursing Associate Apprenticeship at the Trust for almost three years. She is passionate and caring and always strives to ensure the experience of the Nursing Associates and the teams supporting them are at the heart of everything she does. 

To date, Sarah has successfully supported a total of 111 students to complete the Nursing Associate qualification, with an additional 68 apprentices still ongoing.

Level 5 Apprentice of the Year

Lilley Lonsdale was announced as the recipient of the award for ‘Level Five Apprentice of the Year’. 

Lilley’s employer said throughout the apprenticeship, they noticed huge development and growth in Lilley and had seen her using her academic and theoretical knowledge to enhance her performance in the role.

In addition to being a key member of the Women's Health Clinic, ‘due to her amazing manner with service users’, Lilley has now been invited to support the development of a young person’s service which allows people to come forward and get support for contraception, mental health, wellbeing and so on. 

“She is a superb learner and uses her apprenticeship to its fullest extent. Lilley has even started to mentor and support the next apprentice,” said Brian Culleton.

Employer of the Year 

Honoured by a hat trick of awards was Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust after being declared ‘a worthy winner, of the ceremony’s final accolade ‘Employer of the Year’. The Trust said it was thrilled to be recognised ‘for going above and beyond when investing in apprenticeship talent to enhance the service it provides’. 

Since the first cohort of Nursing Associates started at the University in June 2018, the Trust has developed almost 180 Nursing Associates across 55 clinical areas who have all become pivotal, valued members of the clinical team providing fundamental nursing care with compassion, empathy and professionalism.

Closing the event Brian Culleton concluded: 

“The University’s apprenticeships continue to grow from strength to strength.  The number of learners involved increases at a rate of about 15% a year. The number of employers we work with is also increasing at a similar level. 

“The ability to develop and deliver our apprenticeships is due to the strength of our employer relationships which over the past four years have remained loyal and collaborative. 

“Today the University enjoys relationships with over 90 apprenticeship employers, and our apprentices remain among the most engaged and highest achieving in the sector.”