B&FC apprentices and employers recognised at virtual awards ceremony

By Blackpool and the Fylde College

03 Apr 2020

apps-awards-mail-chimp-header-1.jpg

The current coronavirus pandemic has not deterred Blackpool and The Fylde College (B&FC) from celebrating employer and apprentice achievement, with its 2020 ceremony being held virtually on Thursday 26 March.

A highlight in B&FC’s events calendar, the Apprenticeship Awards are an opportunity to recognise and reward exceptional contributions made by the College’s apprentices and their employers. Hosting the event virtually meant the College could proceed with its celebrations while continuing to observe Public Health England’s social distancing guidelines.

Confirmed attendees were notified beforehand that the awards would take place virtually and, on the day of the ceremony, emailed a live link to the event itself. The Apprenticeship Awards were introduced by Principal and Chief Executive Bev Robinson OBE, while Linda Dean - Executive Director of B&FC for Business, the College’s commercial arm - announced the winners.

The event got underway with B&FC’s Apprentice of the Year Award, for which there were 18 nominees from employers such as the Federation of Small Businesses and Blackpool Council. The award went to Ashley Shooter from local, family-run salad production company Ingle's Dawndew Salad Ltd.

Other winners included Laura Zakubinska from Headstart - Blackpool Council (Apprentice of the Year – Highly Commended Award) and Blackpool Teaching Hospitals’ Clare Johnson, named Higher Apprentice of the Year and singled out as “an inspiration and an ambassador for the apprenticeship programme”.

Through B&FC for Business, the College has links with over 1,800 employers locally, regionally and nationally across a wide variety of industry sectors. It forges close working partnerships with them to co-create workforce development strategies that ensure the College is delivering training and education to meet their needs and support their growth. This high level of collaboration was recognised at the 2020 Apprenticeship Awards with four awards to employers.

The SME Employer of the Year Award was made to Holders Sheet Metal. The Blackpool-based firm, with over 50 years’ experience of bespoke fabrications in steel and aluminium, received praise for its “proactive approach to planning programme delivery” along with its “strong, enthusiastic mentoring”. Family-run company Bambers Remedial Contractors received a Highly Commended Award.

Blackpool Transport – the Blackpool Council owned bus and tram operator - was named Large Employer of the Year, after being said to have “fully embraced the potential of a well-planned and nurturing apprenticeship programme as an integral part of their business strategy”. The Highly Commended Award went to independent motor vehicle repairer KC Autos.

Principal Bev Robinson congratulated the winners and urged all nominees to be immensely proud to have been recognised at the awards, adding: “We look forward to the time when we can once again celebrate apprentice and employer achievements with you in person.”

Latest news

1

Villa at Wrea Green bought for £3.6m by Haythornthwaite family The Villa Wrea Green courtesy of The Villa Wrea Green

Villa at Wrea Green bought for £3.6m by Haythornthwaite family

16 Sep 2025

2

Fourth Lancashire Bodycare store to shut Nick Holloway of administrators Interpath

Fourth Lancashire Bodycare store to shut

16 Sep 2025

3

Family business relocates in Blackburn Tristar relocation

Family business relocates in Blackburn

16 Sep 2025

4

Taste Lancashire Producer Awards 2026 open for applications Taste Lancashire Producers awards

Taste Lancashire Producer Awards 2026 open for applications

15 Sep 2025

5

Stuart Buckley appointed head of sales and account management at Netcentrix Stuart Buckley

Stuart Buckley appointed head of sales and account management at Netcentrix

15 Sep 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
Sub36 Networking - Follow the signs
Sub36 Deaf Village Social1200
Networking
17 Sep 2025

Sub36 Networking - Follow the signs

The Deaf Village, Blackburn, BB2 5EN

10:00 - 12:00

LBV124 September/October Launch Event
MBP Arc Cinema Preston Opening 205
Networking
18 Sep 2025

LBV124 September/October Launch Event

The Arc Cinema, Preston, PR1 2BL

08:30 - 10:30

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

Preston Tech Connection - The Ultimate Tech Quiz!
Preston Tech Connection Sept 25.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
16 Sep 2025 - 16 Sep 2025

Preston Tech Connection - The Ultimate Tech Quiz!

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 19:00

Business Breakfast Networking Event
business workshop photo.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
17 Sep 2025 - 17 Sep 2025

Business Breakfast Networking Event

Media Factory, University of Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 10:30

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
17 Sep 2025 - 17 Sep 2025

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire

Stanley House, Blackburn, BB2 7NP

11:30 - 14:15

Ladies Lunch
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
18 Sep 2025 - 18 Sep 2025

Ladies Lunch

Lancaster Golf Club, Lancaster, LA2 0AJ

12:00 - 16:00

Cumbria Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880461633-4862066883-1-original.20241022-110415.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
19 Sep 2025 - 19 Sep 2025

Cumbria Business Expo 2025

Carlisle Racecourse, Carlisle, CA2 4TS

09:00 - 15:00

Your Business, Your Region: Making sense of devolution and Local Government Reorganisation
Chorley Council breakfast event new
LBV Hub Networking
23 Sep 2025 - 23 Sep 2025

Your Business, Your Region: Making sense of devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

Worden Hall, Leyland, PR25 3DH

08:00 - 11:00

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: September
Sept Freelancer (1).png.png
LBV Hub Networking
23 Sep 2025 - 23 Sep 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: September

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Speed Networking with BNI
2.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
24 Sep 2025 - 24 Sep 2025

Speed Networking with BNI

Chorley Football Club, Chorley, PR7 3DU

16:00 - 19:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV124 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin