Borough Apprenticeship Awards

Apprenticeships don’t just provide an excellent opportunity for young people to gain qualifications and earn a salary while performing a real job, they are also good for organisations, bringing new talent, fresh ideas and a younger workforce.

The first London Borough Apprenticeship Awards were set up to showcase the value of apprenticeships to London boroughs, how staff have contributed to apprentices’ success, and how boroughs are maximising the apprenticeships that are created with contractors and suppliers.

Entries were received from over 20 different boroughs, and you can see a list of short-listed entries here.

The winners were announced by London Councils' Chief Executive John O'Brien at an event on 14 September 2011. See below to find out who won in each category. Congratulations to everyone who was short-listed, and thank you to everyone who took the time to submit an entry.

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Best contribution by an apprentice

Winner: Aidan Coyle, London Borough of Hounslow

Aidan was unable to attend the event so his award was collected on his behalf.

Since joining Hounslow in September 2009 Aidan has completed both his Level 2 and 3 Apprenticeship frameworks in Business Administration.

Working in Hounslow’s Connexions service Aidan has had to deal with complex safeguarding issues, and has shown an in-depth understanding of the service’s vulnerable clients.  

He has gained the confidence to suggest ways in which the drop-in centre could be improved, and he thrives on new challenges even when it takes him out of his comfort zone, for example being filmed and interviewing apprentices for the promotion of National Apprenticeship Week.

He has also facilitated workshops and supported young people to feed into consultations about Hounslow’s policies around children and young people.

Aidan is about to move on to study Business at university.

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Best manager or mentor

Winner: Lesley Reed, London Borough of Barking & Dagenham

Lesley is the manager for Barking and Dagenham’s in-house apprenticeship programme in Adult Social Care, providing a line management role to all apprentices (42 to date).

The apprentices feel that Lesley’s commitment and drive in making the scheme a success has meant that for some she has been the only constant driver in their life.

Lesley has set up a mentoring group for recruiting managers of apprentices across the division, provided corporate support to a number of councils in setting up their Health and Social Care apprenticeship scheme and worked with five independent providers to take on apprentices under a Department of Health scheme.

She has also arranged for apprentices to meet a Minister for Care Services, supported them to present at the Association of Directors of Adult Social Care Conference and made a promotional DVD.

36 of the 42 apprentices now work in Health and Social Care or have progressed to higher education. 

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Best work with supply chains to create new apprenticeships

Winner: London Borough of Lewisham

Lewisham was represented at the Awards by Fenella Beckman, Strategic Partnership Manager and Apprenticeship Programme Lead.

Lewisham council began its apprenticeship scheme in 2009 and since then has created 47 apprenticeships at the council and a further 112 apprenticeships with partner organisations and through their supply chain.

Opportunities include construction apprenticeships through Lewisham’s Building Schools for the Future contract, active leisure apprenticeships with Fusion Lifestyle and a range of apprenticeships with Lewisham Homes and their contractors.

The Lewisham Homes apprenticeships have been created in areas of high staff turnover or where existing staff are approaching retirement age, ensuring continuity for the organisation and providing real employment opportunities for apprentices.

In September 2011, the Mayor of Lewisham will consider a report recommending that all contractors and service providers stipulate how they will meet the council’s corporate priorities in relation to apprenticeships and the employment and training of young people. Lewisham’s partner organisations have also agreed to explore how they can do the same with their own supply chains.