Loughborough College partner DHL has been named Apprenticeship Employer of the Year 2018.
The BBC’s Geeta Pendse hosted this year’s Apprenticeship Graduation Ceremony, which saw a host of Loughborough College apprentices joining finalists, businesses and industry from across the country at the Leicester Employment Hub event at De Montfort Hall.
Celebrating alongside DHL and apprentices Sian Lafferty, Chloe Bates and Danielle Stack were Bethan Dagley with Thankey Mahet Legal and Tia Webb with Always Sheet Metal, both shortlisted in the Intermediate Finalist category and Meara Brooks, selected as an Advanced Finalist with Derby Kingsway Hospital Library. All study with Loughborough College, which has been rated Outstanding for apprenticeships by education watchdog Ofsted.
Loughborough College collaborates with more than 350 employers and work based learning coordinator at the College, Karen Brookes, was joined at the ceremony by her fellow team members who support all the apprentices in their achievements - Gaynor Noon, Vannessa Williams and Julie Willshee.
“Congratulations to all our finalists and to our partner DHL on winning Employer of the Year,” said Karen.
“The Apprenticeship Graduation Ceremony provides a great opportunity to recognise the achievements of apprentices and for us to gather with employers, family and friends to celebrate their success.
“DHL’s Learning and Development Manager Stephen Hayward is growing a programme at their Cargo West office which sees us partner with them right from recruitment – ensuring candidates embody the four DHL key attributes: passion, speed, right first time and a can do attitude.
“We work closely together to support the apprentices and they are given lots of stretching opportunities, which enable them to develop rapidly. A notable example of the success this can bring is one of our former Level 3 Business Administration apprentices who is now acting as first point of contact and Co-ordinator for apprentices.
“We have apprentices in HR, Learning and Development, Customs and the Engineering business sectors with apprenticeships currently offered in Business Administration, Customer Service, Logistics Operations and Business Improvement techniques – with more subject areas already under consideration.
“We collaborate closely with every employer to ensure the success of all our apprentices, their employees - and it was fantastic to see just some of that success marked at the Graduation Ceremony.”
Pictured: (from left) DHL’s Stephen Hayward and Loughborough College’s Chloe Bates, Gaynor Noon, Sian Lafferty and Danielle Stack