Employers and learners who have excelled in apprenticeship, skills and employment training programmes delivered by one of Wales’ top training companies were recognised at an annual awards ceremony on Wednesday night.
Cambrian Training Company, which has offices in Welshpool, Holyhead, Colwyn Bay and Llanelli, held is second annual Apprenticeship, Employment and Skills Awards at the International Pavilion on the Royal Welsh Showground, Llanelwedd to coincide with National Apprenticeship Week. There were 18 finalists from across Wales.
The winners were: Foundation Apprentice of the Year, Thomas Martin, chef de partie at Holm House Hotel, Penarth. Apprentice of the Year, Mitchell Penberthy, chef de partie at Charlton House, CH & Co, Cardiff Bay. Higher Apprentice of the Year, Karen Jones, manager of Euro Garages, Dolgellau.
Small Employer of the Year, Lelo Skip Hire Ltd, Bryn Saith, Marchog. Medium Employer of the Year, Mainetti, Wrexham. Large Employer of the Year, CDT Sidoli, Welshpool.
The award winners will now have a chance to be put forward for the prestigious Apprenticeship Awards Cymru, which are jointly organised by the National Training Federation for Wales and the Welsh Government, in October.
“These awards celebrate the achievements of individuals and employers who have exceeded expectations during their engagement and commitment to training and skills programmes,” said Katy Godsell, Cambrian Training Company’s marketing manager.
“All the finalists have shown a unique approach to training and development and have demonstrated initiative and enterprise, innovation and creativity. We are fortunate to work with some outstanding employers and learners throughout Wales as we deliver a range apprenticeship, skills and employment training programmes on behalf of the Welsh Government.”
The Apprenticeship Programme is funded by the Welsh Government with support from the European Social Fund.
Winners
The award for Foundation Apprentice of the Year went to 22-year-old chef de partie Thomas Martin, Holm House Hotel, Penarth. He has worked in some of London’s top restaurants and was recently a Junior Chef of Wales contest finalist.
He says his confidence has been boosted by the opportunities that have resulted from a Foundation Apprenticeship in Professional Cookery. “I am very happy to win this award and it shows that a lot of hard work has paid off,” he said.
“I want to open my own restaurant within the next five to six years to champion the best of Wales’ amazing produce.”
Category finalists were Kelly Venables-Jones, Mainetti, Wrexham and Codi Louise Wiltshire, Jewson Ltd, Builth Wells.
Apprentice of the Year was 26-year-old chef Mitchell Penberthy, who works for the National Assembly of Wales at Charlton House, CH & Co, Cardiff Bay. Possessing a burning desire to succeed, he was promoted to chef de partie after completing the AAA Level 3 Craft Cuisine qualification.
He has also volunteered at the Michelin starred Restaurant James Sommerin and signed up for VIP catering work at the Principality Stadium. “It’s absolutely fantastic to win this award which was unexpected,” said Mitchell, who plans to hone his butchery skills and progress to a AAA Level 4 Craft Cuisine qualification.
“I am climbing up the ladder at work and the next step would be junior sous chef.
Category finalists were Daniel Raftery, Randall Parker Foods, Llanidloes; Daniel Roberts, Lelo Skip Hire Ltd, Bryn Saith, Marchog; Rhiannon Lee Wilson, Links Electrical Supplies Ltd, Newtown and Paul McCarley, Powys County Council’s Sustainable Resource Management Team, Rhayader.
The Higher Apprentice of the Year award was won by Karen Jones, manager of Euro Garages, Dolgellau. She has recently completed a Higher Apprenticeship in Leadership and Management.
Described by her employer as a “fantastic manager”, she’s on a lifelong learning journey to constantly improve her knowledge and skills. She was named Manager of the Year Award for Wales by her employer in 2017.
Karen, who lives in Tanygrisiau, praised the support she had received from her tutor Dawn Thomas. “Cambrian Training Company is a really wonderful company, as they took over my Level 5 qualification when I was getting nowhere with another training company,” she said.
“I would recommend apprenticeships especially for youngsters and older people like myself. Learning is a continuous thing because you learn something new every day.”
The other finalist was George Carwyn Gilberthorpe, Gower Holiday Parks Ltd, Swansea.
Named Small Employer of the Year was Lelo Skip Hire Ltd, Bryn Saith, Marchog. The family business recruited its first member of staff on the Jobs Growth Wales programme four years ago and he has progressed to a Higher Apprenticeship in systems and operations management. Due to the skills and knowledge gained, he will manage a new site to expand the business.
Oswyn Jones, a director of Lelo Skip Hire Ltd, said he was delighted to win the award and revealed that the business was looking to expand and take on more staff. An employee was benefiting from the apprenticeship programme to drive the business forward.
The other category finalist was Wickedly Welsh, Haverfordwest.
The award for Medium Employer of the Year went to Mainetti, Wrexham. A pioneering hanger recycler, Mainetti has a multi-national workforce of 160, including 56 apprentices, some of whom have progressed from a Foundation Apprenticeship in sustainable resource management to a Higher Apprenticeship in management.
The company says apprenticeships have helped increase productivity and yield by 7% and reduce waste going to landfill by 25%.
Rebecca Burrows, Mainetti’s UK HR manager, said: “I am very proud of everybody that has helped us to achieve this award. As a company we pride ourselves on supporting our employees and promoting and developing them as much as we can.
“We employ around 15 nationalities and they are all given the same opportunities to get involved in apprenticeships. By helping people to develop their skills, we have a happy and more engaged workforce.”
Category finalists were Antur Waunfawr’s Sustainable Resource Management Team, Caernarfon and Potters Sustainable Resource Management Team, Welshpool.
Large Employer of the Year was CDT Sidoli, Welshpool. The artisan dessert maker has established an Apprenticeship Academy to raise skill levels and improve quality and productivity across the business.
Links with schools and job centres are being nurtured by the company, which has 73 staff from a workforce of 400 working towards qualifications ranging from Foundation to Higher Apprenticeships.
Category finalists were Powys County Council’s Sustainable Resource Management Team, Brecon and Stena Line’s hospitality team, Goodwick.
Picture caption:
Award winners with their trophies (from left) Karen Jones, Oswyn Jones from Lelo Skip Hire Limited, Mitchell Penberthy, Thomas Martin, Rebecca Burrows from Mainetti and Chris Jones, representing CDT Sidoli.
For more information please contact Katy Godsell, Cambrian Training Company’s marketing manager, on Tel: 01938 555 893 or Duncan Foulkes, public relations adviser, on Tel: 01686 650818.
