SOME of Worcestershire’s best apprentices, employers, training providers and schools have been announced as finalists in the Worcestershire Apprentice Awards 2015.

Following nominations across all 13 award categories, this year’s shortlist again represent the hard work of apprentices and those who support the county's young talent.

The awards evening on Thursday, November 12 at the Tree Tops Pavilion, West Midland Safari Park, will be hosted by broadcaster Steph McGovern and promises to be even bigger and better than last year’s inaugural event.

Gary Woodman, executive director of Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “We have had some excellent entries and congratulations to all of this year’s awards finalists. Last year’s awards were highly popular with 360 people in attendance and this year we expect an even larger audience to join the celebrations. The county has seen a huge growth in apprenticeships since 2011, with more than 10,000 people now participating in an apprenticeship programme and I would encourage others who are interested in employing an apprentice to visit the www.worcsapprenticeships.org.uk website.”

Cllr Simon Geraghty, deputy leader and cabinet member for economy, skills and infrastructure at Worcestershire County Council, added: “The Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards display the many excellent apprenticeship places available to local apprentices. We are looking forward to celebrating the huge contribution the county’s apprentices make to the workplace and I would like to encourage local residents and businesses to book seats or tables for the awards as soon as possible.”

Spaces at the event are limited. Seats at the high-profile awards cost £80 and a table of 10 can be bought for £750. Apprentice employers of finalists for each award get one free seat and apprentices in the running for an award get two free seats.

The shortlist comprises: School of the year: The Chase, Malvern and Hanley Castle High School. Traineeship of the year: Crayge Phillips, Car Refurb Centre, Worcester, and Paul Breakspear, OLPRO, Droitwich. Training provider of the year: HWGTA, Worcester and Kidderminster College. Newcomer apprenticeship employer of the year: Victoria Carpets, Kidderminster, and Roundabout, Evesham. Small apprenticeship employer of the year: Dolphin Computer Access, Worcester, Borwell Ltd, Malvern, Green Lighting, Worcester and Print Strategy, Droitwich. Medium apprenticeship employer of the year: Ormerod Rutter Chartered Accountants, Droitwich, and KinderKare Day Nurseries Ltd, Worcester. Large apprenticeship employer of the year: CH2M, Worcester and The Community Housing Group, Kidderminster . Intermediate level apprentice of the year: Daniel Hopkins, Green Lighting, Upton-upon-Severn and Ross Huntley, OHMS Mowers Ltd, Pershore. Advanced level apprentice of the year: Sam George, TBC Digital, Kidderminster and Sam Collins, Worcester Bosch Group, Worcester. Higher level apprentice of the year: Laura Brown, CH2M, Worcester and Victoria Rawlings, The Replacement Service, Worcester. Apprentice ambassador of the year: David Barnett, Yamazaki Mazak, Worcester and Kim Cook, Worcestershire Training Provider Association, Worcester. Worcestershire apprenticeship employer of the year and the apprentice employer of the year will be decided from winners of other awards.