The Trafford College Group had the pleasure of hosting the annual Employer Awards 2023, at our own award-winning restaurant Aspire, located at our Altrincham Campus. The night hosted a number of employers, apprentices and local stakeholders, with food catered and served by our hospitality team and catering students.
The award ceremony aimed to recognise and celebrate the invaluable experience that TCG’s employer connections offer to apprentices, as well as recognise the success of the TCG apprentices within their schemes. The night started with a welcome speech from Trafford College Group Principal, James Scott.
Speech from Trafford College Group Principal, James Scott
“I’d like to welcome you to the fabulous venue for tonight’s celebration, our Aspire restaurant and bar. As Principal and Chief Executive, I am delighted to be able to recognise and honour the many achievements of our apprentices and the valuable contributions of our employer partners across The Trafford College Group.
Our commitment lies in unlocking the potential and fostering the success of our students and staff, but also our stakeholders and employer partners. Our mission is to provide exceptional education and training opportunities that enable individuals to reach their full potential and succeed in their chosen professions. With a history spanning several decades across the boroughs of Trafford and Stockport, we continuously strive to offer a diverse range of courses that cater to the evolving needs of our local community and beyond.
At TCG, we continuously strive to meet the skills needs of employers across Stockport, Trafford, and the wider conurbation. This is arguably more important now than any time in recent memory given the acute skills shortages faced by many businesses and sectors across the country. Greater Manchester is at the heart of exciting and transformational developments around education and skills. The Mayor of GM, Andy Burnham, recently announced his vision of moving towards a Technical Education city region to better meet the needs of our businesses and residents; a new Local Skills Improvement Plan is due to be published – informed and driven by employers; and in November our city hosts the highly prestigious WorldSkills UK National Finals with our colleges at the centre of this showpiece event.
Tonight, we gather to applaud some of our exceptional apprentices who have demonstrated outstanding commitment, dedication, and skills in their respective fields. We also extend our appreciation to our employer partners and college staff who have played an instrumental role in shaping the careers of the young people here in the room this evening.
On behalf of The Trafford College Group, I extend my warmest congratulations to all the finalists and winners tonight. Your achievements are a testament to your exceptional skills and determination. ”
Award Winners:
Apprentice Awards
STEM Apprentice of the Year – Lawson Barton
Commercial Services Apprentice of the Year – Martin Chan
Business and Professional Studies Apprentice of the Year – Emily Belfield
Construction Trades Apprentice of the Year – Conner Hueston
Early Years, Health and Education Apprentice of the Year – Jolie Davies
Higher Education Apprentice of the Year – Tom France
Industry Placement Student of the Year – Sukwinder Daniel Singh Landa
Hosted by Danielle Judge, Assistant Principal of Apprenticeships
This was my first opportunity to attend the Employer Awards, having started with the Trafford College Group earlier this year. It was a fantastic last night and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I also had the honour of presenting the awards to the deserving apprentices. Congratulations to all of you.
Employer Awards
Work Experience Champion Partner of the Year – RRG Group
Industry Placement Partner of the Year – The Christie
Learning Partner of the Year – Brentwood High School and Community College
Investment in Skills Partner of the Year – Tilbury Douglas Construction
Apprentice Employer of the Year for a small business – Your Sash Windows
Apprentice Employer of the Year for a large business in Trafford – Essity
Apprentice Employer of the Year for a large business in Stockport – Thales
Hosted by Tracey Wood, Assistant Principal for Adult Skills and Employer Engagement
Trafford College Group’s Assistant Principal in Adult & Employer Engagement, Tracey Wood –
“It was fantastic to see such dedication and passion from both employers, apprentices and students. It’s a testament to their hard work and commitment to excellence and contribution to developing skills. It was a wonderful event and celebration of technical skills and education and the positive impact on business and our local communities.
We were delighted to celebrate with our employers, partners and learners cementing the strong relationships with industry and businesses, providing our learners and apprentices with an enriched experience and skills to progress in work and life.
