APPRENTICES and employers have been honoured at a special apprenticeship event.
The Tees Valley Apprenticeship Programme (TVAP) Awards were held recently at Rockliffe Hall, Hurworth and rewarded outstanding trainees and companies.
The £1.82m programme, which is due to come to an end in March, was born out of adversity and the looming jobs impact of announcements by Corus, Invista, Dow, Croda and others.
It was set an initial target to protect around 150 apprenticeships deemed “at risk” in engineering, the chemical and process industries and engage 60 employers in supporting an apprentice.
Since then it has doubled its targets, creating and sustaining 299 apprenticeships on Teesside and engaging 134 employers, including 80 small and medium sized enterprises of which 43 had never had an apprentice before.
TVAP says Teesside MPs Ian Swales, Tom Blenkinsop and Ian Wright have joined the battle to secure a further two years of funding - cash which would give the project time to become more self sustaining and allow it be broadened to create more apprenticeships sponsored by a wider range of employers.
Speaking for the employers, TVAP chairman George Ritchie, who is also a North East Regional Ambassador for the Government’s National Apprenticeship Service (NAS), said: “The Tees Valley Apprenticeship Programme has proved a tremendous value for money investment in young people and we are urging Government to keep the momentum going.
“Apprentices provide an essential pool of skilled workers for the future and the scheme has been a massive success story for all the young people involved, for employers and for the Government”.
Former world land speed record holder Richard Noble was guest of honour at the event.
He brought glory to Britain in 1983 when he travelled in his vehicle Thrust 2 at more than 633mph across the Nevada Desert in the USA
Some 14 years later his team and the 100,000 brake horse power Thrust SSC vehicle become the first car to reach 763mph - or Mach 1.02 - and break the sound barrier. That record still stands.
Now, through a new pencil-shaped vehicle, Bloodhound SSC, he aims to lead a team breaking the 1,000mph barrier in South Africa in 2013.
The TVAP 2012 apprentice winners are:
Apprentice of the Year - Daniel Hynes, 21, of Linthorpe, Middlesbrough. A TTE apprentice who continues as an apprentice chemical process operator with Sabic Olefins, Wilton.
Apprentice Impact Award - Liam Corbett, 20, Hartlepool, an apprentice fabricator at C and A Pumps, Bowburn, which was also an award winner in this year’s TVAP awards, taking the Small Employer Award.
Highly Commended Apprentice - Charles Smith, 19, of Marton, Middlesbrough, apprentice instrument artificer at Lotte Chemical UK, Wilton.
Mentor Award - Huntsman
Large Employer Award - Intelect UK
Highly Commended Large Employer - Cordell Group
Special Award in memory of Gus Robinson - Gus Robinson Developments Ltd for their support for apprenticeships
