The University of Salford names dedicated students ‘Apprentice of the Year’.

The Apprentice of the Year awards recognise hard working students who are completing an apprenticeship at the University. Winners are selected through a nomination process, with a student from each academic school awarded.

Degree Apprenticeships allow students the chance to maximise their knowledge of their chosen industry; through academic teaching at the university, whilst gaining crucial experience in a working environment. The apprenticeship scheme is funded by the workplace, meaning students who chose this route do not need to pay for their studies. However, they need to balance both academic and industry duties in order to succeed on this course.

This year’s winner for The School of Health and Society is nursing associate student, Jordan- Lee Booth. Jordan was nominated for the award by Karen Morgan, Clinical Educator at The University of Salford, for his impeccable feedback from patients and colleagues; as well as his outstanding progress since starting the course.

The School of Science, Engineering and Environment has awarded Quantity Surveying Degree Apprentice Bethany O’Neil Apprentice of the Year 2022. Bethany gained this award for her hard-working and professional attitude both at university and during her role as Commercial Management Trainee at construction company Willmott Dixon.

The final student award was given to Lynda Stefek from The School of Business. Lynda was nominated by Elizabeth Greenhalgh, Apprenticeship Lead at The University of Salford, for her commitment to the programme and for implementing her academic learnings into her role at Transport for Greater Manchester. Her dissertation project and proposals are currently being used by The Change Team at TFGM to make real improvements within the Directorate.

The University of Salford has also awarded several businesses with Employer of the Year as part of Apprenticeship week. These awards recognise employers who work with the University as part of the apprenticeship scheme, to enable students to gain the best experience from the programme.

Paul Ward, Director of International and Regional Development at the University of Salford said: "As well as boosting productivity, apprenticeships can also help companies develop their workforce. Recent industry research suggests that 77% of employers found that taking on apprentices helped to make their organisations more competitive”.

The winner of Employer of the Year for The School of Science, Engineering and Environment is Mayo Civils. The mentorship team at Mayo were nominated for the award for their support and development of their apprentices, through a two-tier mentorship programme which prioritises practical work experience. The company has a global perspective on their specialist services within the construction industry and strong links to the North-West.

This years’ Business School Employer of the Year is Salford City Council. They have been awarded for their collaborative work with the university, on numerous programmes and apprenticeship schemes. Salford City Council have recently worked with the university to develop a new PgDip Leadership and Management programme which will begin in September.

The final Employer of the Year award was given to Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The award was given to the Trust by The School of Health and Society for their support of 5 apprentices in cohort with the university’s new physiotherapy apprenticeship programme. Mentors on the programme have positively engaged with their apprentices, offering them the necessary support needed to succeed on the course.