#NAW2023 – Awards galore for Myerscough apprentices

Published: Friday 10 Feb 2023

As National Apprenticeship Week continues, we look back an amazing year for Myerscough College’s apprentices and work-based learners, as they continue to earn national recognition for the quality of their work.

The College’s work-based team continues to work tirelessly across a number of sectors, with employers and apprentices spanning the length and breadth of the country.

The recognition in the last twelve months includes:

A Myerscough College landscaping apprentice was recognised with another national award.

Cameron Barker was named Top Student of the Year at the BALI (British Association Landscape Industries) National Landscape Awards 2022.

Cameron was presented with £500, as well as £500 for Myerscough College, collected by his work-based tutor, Richard Heyes, at the ceremony in London.

Cameron has been completing his Level 3 apprenticeship in landscaping while working for employer, Steven Foxcroft Landscapes, during which time he’s won gold at the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) WorldSkills UK final, and also been named Intermediate Apprentice of the Year at the Lancashire Apprenticeship Awards.

Cameron paves his way to success in Lancashire Apprenticeship Awards

The annual National Landscape Awards, held at the iconic JW Marriott Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London celebrates the skills, hard work, quality, commitment, and successes of Association members and are the largest awards of their kind in Europe. They recognise excellence in landscape design, construction, and maintenance both in the UK and overseas, as well as supplier exceptional service and employer excellence.

Two Myerscough apprentices were recognised as among the best young landscapers in the country following the finals of Worldskills.

Adam Coulter won Bronze and Sarah Harvey was Highly Commended in landscaping at a prestigious award ceremony over the weekend, after earlier in the year competing alongside the other finalists from across the country to be crowned the UK’s best young landscaper. Fellow Myerscough apprentice Ben Ellis also took part in the finals.

Designed by industry experts, the WorldSkills UK Competitions equip apprentices and learners with the world-class skills needed to help UK businesses better compete globally.

Finalists underwent a seven-month process of regional heats and intensive training before competing in the finals.

A Myerscough College apprentice was named the best student greenkeeper in the country after he scooped a prestigious national industry award.

James Gaskell was named winner of the 2022 Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year, a national contest hosted by the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association, BIGGA, and is sponsored by turfcare machinery and irrigation manufacturer Toro alongside official UK distributor, Reesink Turfcare.

Each year, a selection of the best student greenkeepers, selected from regional interviews hosted across the country, head to the two-day finals of the event, where they complete a variety of tasks designed to test their industry knowledge and their commitment to the profession.

The finals took place in the surroundings of the Goodwood Estate in West Sussex.

James has been greenkeeping for five years, and is currently studying on the new Advanced Golf Greenkeeper apprenticeship Standard with Myerscough.

Myerscough College’s apprenticeship provision has been shortlisted for national recognition in two categories at the annual AAC Apprenticeship Awards.

The AAC Apprenticeship Awards, now in their sixth year, are a celebration of the very best in apprenticeship delivery and provide well-deserved recognition for the people, teams and organisations that make excellent apprenticeships happen.

For the second consecutive year, Myerscough is nominated in the illustrious Apprenticeship Provider of the Year category, alongside Manchester Metropolitan University, Paragon Skills and Apprentify.

Myerscough is also shortlisted in the category Agriculture, Environmental & Animal Care Apprenticeship Provider of the Year, up against Haddon Training Limited. Myerscough are defending champions in this category, having won the award in 2021 and 2022.

A record 375 entries were received from training providers, colleges, universities and employers and we can now reveal the shortlist of those who go forward to the national awards ceremony in March.

Myerscough College plant-sector apprentices have received recognition for outstanding commitment to their work in a national ceremony.

The ‘Stars of The Future’ Awards is an annual event organised by the Construction Plant-Hire Association, in conjunction with training providers from across the country who offer plant courses.

Nominees were assessed on their attitude and quality of work throughout the year, both at their college and in the workplace environment and there are separate prize schemes for Level 2 and Level 3 apprentices, at both regional and national level.

Myerscough College had two regional finalists:

Plant Mechanic of the Year - North

Natalie Coulton, Allan J Hargreaves Plant Engineers, Myerscough College - Highly Commended

Also nominated: Thomas Meadow and Jon Kittoe

Plant Technician of the Year - North

Ben Thomas, Brandon Hire Station, Myerscough College - Highly Commended

Also nominated: Faris Cooke and Charles Kett.

Both attend Myerscough College on block release from their employer during their apprenticeships.

Myerscough College deliver a wide range of work-based training and apprenticeships across numerous disciplines. Whether you are a learner or employer, for more information please contact Employer Services on 01995 642255 or email employerenquiries@myerscough.ac.uk