Skills for London Awards 2008 – Pictures of Winners
Hi,
Please find attached a picture of the winners of this year’s Skills for London 2008 Awards, along with Skills Minister David Lammy MP, Fearne Cotton and LSC Regional Director for
Many thanks,
Emily.
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‘You’re Hired!’ 13 of |
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Fearne Cotton and Skills Minister David Lammy congratulate best of London’s apprentices, employers and education providers |
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Date of issue |
6 June 2008 |
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Publication number |
LSC-PR-LOR-0818 |
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Embargo until |
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You may think that Wednesday night’s episode of the Apprentice on BBC 1 put the contestants through their paces, but that’s nothing compared to the hurdles that this year’s competitors for the 2008 Skills for London Awards have overcome.Â
Being a real-life apprentice is tougher than the reality-TV version and this year’s winners of the Skills for London Awards proved that they had more than just the ‘gift of the gab’ or the ability to sell wedding cake.
Over 100 candidates from across
Unlike Sir Alan Sugar’s apprentices, these contestants have completed gruelling training courses and will not get a six figure salary straightaway, but they have all secured qualifications which will enable them to get higher paid jobs and move up the career ladder. Top businesses also slogged it out to prove that they provide the best on-the-job training available for their staff to help their businesses succeed.
TV presenter Fearne Cotton and Skills Minister David Lammy MP revealed the 13 ‘hired’ contestants to a packed audience of over 350 people from the education and skills sector.
The 13 winners of this year’s ‘real life’ apprentice competition included single parent Julianna Alli, who supported her three and a half year old son on just £80 a week whilst taking an Apprenticeship in Business Administration. She won the much feted Personal Achiever of the Year Award and her teacher said of her: “Julianna is a real inspiration to young people and is able to be a shining example to them through her line of work at Connexions in Woolwich”. Â Â
Julianna said:Â “Winning this award it means everything. Up until today, I didn’t think I would win it until they called my name and I realised that Wow! I’m just going to go forward and tell everyone about it, especially the people I know that work with young people in Connexions to tell them that they can do it, because I’ve done it”.
Another candidate for the Train to Gain Learner of the Year Award, Diana Bruce-Chin, is still learning at the ripe old age of 70 and walks 4 miles to and from the St Michaels Day Nursery each day, where she helps care for young babies. She is living proof that it really is never too late to learn.
Diana said:Â “I would like to thank my assessor, my director and my manager. I feel great about being a finalist because it’s not only for me it’s for the nursery. It’s given me more commitment to the children and I’ve learned a lot through the training”.
Contestants such as these were pitted against the big guns like BT who won the Apprenticeship Large Employer of the Year Award for the second year running for their Apprenticeship programme through which they train 10% of their workforce. Also, Axima Building Services, who won Apprenticeship Medium Employer of the Year Award.Â
Brian Woodcraft, Managing Director of Axima Building Services based in Docklands said:
“This prize is hugely important and I feel very proud. We put a lot of time and effort into our training programmes, particularly Apprenticeships but also other training for older staff. We have to bring skilled people through the industry, we like to think that we bring through some of the best and ultimately it reflects on our bottom line because we have some of the best skilled tradesmen in the industry”.
Candidates like the
Two Polish women, Katarzyna Brzezinska and Iwona Zamojska overcame language barriers to learn English whilst also gaining NVQ’s in Health and Social Care and Skills for Life qualifications respectively.
Katarzyna said:Â “I am very proud about this award. I feel great, I didn’t expect to win. I am very happy about it. My company has given me a lot of support and I’ve learned a lot from them so it’s great that they have got acknowledgement like this”.
This year, for the first time, training providers were also recognised. Sue Gidman from TBG Learning, Provider of the Year said:  “We are absolutely delighted, it means so much to all of our staff and to all of our learners which are 30,000 in a year and we are providing services for people that perhaps wouldn’t have ordinarily have achieved without the help of people like us”.
LSC Regional Director for
“Sir Alan Sugar would be impressed by our award winners and candidates; he might even want to hire some of them. They are all bright, intelligent and highly motivated people who have gained vocational skills which will stand them in good stead in today’s competitive business world. This year’s contestants prove that Further Education is now really the training ground for creating the skilled workforce
Speaking at the event, Skills Minister David Lammy MP said:Â
“I am pleased to see so many talented, self-motivated people here today. It shows how much can be achieved when employers provide individuals with opportunities to reach their full potential. Through Apprenticeships and Train to Gain we are giving employers and individuals the support to find the right training to meet their business skills needs. The new skills that these learners bring to their organisations will not only improve their business but the economy as a whole.”
Mayor of
“I am pleased that there is a general consensus across business and government that training and skills development are essential to both tackling worklessness and developing smooth running efficient organisations. That is why these awards are so important to recognise and showcase what excellent work is being undertaken at all levels and encourage all employers to ensure skills and training are at the top of the list of business objectives.”
The events key sponsor was Knapp Goodwin, a marketing design and events company that applies a wide range of skills to client projects. Chairman Geoff Knapp was very vocal in his support for training:
“With the right encouragement and teaching we can all turn potential into success and make an impact on any business” he said. The winners of the 2008 LSC awards have demonstrated a commitment to developing their people and we are proud to help recognise those achievements.”
The Skills for London Awards 2008 were held at
Full details of all the finalists and winners are available along with photography from the event.Â
-Ends-
Notes to Editors
The winners of the 2008 Skills for London Awards are:
Apprenticeship Employer of the Year (sponsored by LearnDirect Business)
§ Small Employer – George Fraser
§ Medium Employer –
§ Large Employer – BT
Young Apprentice of the Year (sponsored by Full On and Loud Magazine) – Luke Power
Apprentice of the Year (sponsored by Choice e-prospectus) – Asad Ahmed
Advanced Apprentice of the Year (sponsored by XL Magazine) – Aline Cornu
Personal Achiever of the Year (sponsored by Kiss 100) – Julianna Alli
Train to Gain Employer of the Year (sponsored by Knapp Goodwin)
§ Small Employer – Leary Brothers & Ream Partnership
§ Medium Employer – Coffee Snobs Ltd
§ Large Employer – The
Train to Gain Learner of the Year (sponsored by Kiss 100) – Katarzyna Brzezinska
Skills for Life Learner of the Year (sponsored by Get On) – Iwona Zamojska
Training Provider of the Year (sponsored by Prevista) – TBG Learning Ltd
The judging panel comprised:
· Rod Kenyon, Director, Centrica
· Ali Kaye, Director, Work Based Learning
· Chris Heaume, Chief Executive,
· Stephen Evans, Director of People, Skills and Employment, LDA
· Tony Evans, Policy Advisor, GLA
· Sue Parker, Regional Director, AOC
· Ruth Lomax, Assistant Director – Marketing and Communications,
· Ann Lines, Head of Olympic Delivery Team, Jobcentre Plus
· Tristan Wallace, Skillset
Learning and Skills Council (LSC)
The LSC exists to make
Skills for
For more information on skills or the awards visit www.skillsforlondon.org
Train to Gain
Train to Gain is a service from the Learning and Skills Council, helping businesses get the training they need to succeed. For more information visit:Â http://www.traintogain.gov.uk/
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships are nationally designed training programmes for those who have already left full time education or are already in employment. They provide a combination of on and off-the-job training whilst being paid. For more information visit http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/
Media Enquiries
For further information or to arrange interviews, please contact:
Lynn McSweeney                                                        Â
Learning and Skills Council                                           Learning and Skills Council
020 7904 0663Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 0207 904 0784Â Â
07810757172Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 07917 246 016
[email protected] Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â [email protected]
__________________________________________________
Communications Manager
Learning and Skills Council
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T: 020 7904 0784
M: 07917 246 016
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The LSC, the organisation that exists to make
Celebrating Apprentices, Trainers, Employers and Learners.
Closing date for nominations, 29 February 2008 CLICK HERE for a nomination pack
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