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Strode College apprentice Aimee is named Apprentice Champion at awards

Strode College has been celebrating the achievement of their apprentices during National Apprenticeship Week 2020 – including picking up a number of honours at the Grow Somerset Apprenticeship Awards held in Taunton.

Two accolades went to employers which the college works with, while two awards went to one of the college’s childcare apprentices.

The awards celebrate all that is great about apprenticeships and employers who continually strive for excellence and is hosted by The Grow Somerset Talent Group, which is chaired by Kelly Cave, the Work- Based Sector Lead for Childcare Apprenticeships at Strode College.

Kelly, as well as Childcare Apprenticeship Assessor Claire Donald, both attended the event with advanced childcare apprentice Aimee Bond, who scooped two awards for Advanced Apprentice of the Year as well as Apprentice Champion.

Aimee recently completed her Advanced Apprenticeship in Working with Children and Young People (social care) at Somerset County Council, within the leaving care team, where her role involved supporting young people to gain the independent skills they require to leave the care system.

The Apprentice Champion of the Year is awarded to an apprentice who has demonstrated extraordinary aptitude in their line of work or has made a considerable contribution to their employer’s success.

Claire Donald, Aimee’s assessor, said: “When Aimee first began her qualification she suffered from severe anxiety and it was a challenge to encourage her to attend college.

“We are extremely proud of Aimee and for her to be recognised for not only Advanced Apprentice of the Year, but also Apprentice Champion is a testament to all of her hard work and in particular her growth as an individual into a strong independent woman who would be a valuable asset to any business.”

Two of the many employers that Strode College works with, also in the childcare sector, were also recognised on the night in other award categories for their provision of apprenticeships – St Benedict’s Primary School, Glastonbury won the Small Employer of the Year, while Ditcheat Primary School, near Shepton Mallet was a finalist in the Medium Employer of the Year category.

Strode College currently has 485 students undertaking apprenticeships and is working with 160 businesses to recruit 500 new apprentices for job vacancies across six sectors including: IT, hair and beauty, hospitality, business and administration, engineering, health and social care and childcare.

Whether you are an employer interested in recruiting an apprentice, or a young person interested in becoming an apprentice, you can find out more from the college apprenticeship team on 01458 844499.

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