The ninth annual Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards will once again shine a spotlight on our county’s apprentices – and the businesses and organisations, training providers and schools that support their journey – recognising the huge contribution they make to our county’s economy at a special awards ceremony on Thursday 22 May 2025 at Blenheim Palace.
We are delighted to introduce electrical and building services engineering company Darke & Taylor as a sponsor of the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards 2025.
Here, joint Managing Director Simon Newton explains why apprenticeships are so important to the firm and why they’re supporting the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards for the ninth year running.
Why are you supporting the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards?
Apprenticeships are a key element of our business and instrumental in enabling us to build a skilled and loyal workforce. At Darke & Taylor, our apprentices and our apprenticeship scheme have won awards and we know what a positive impact this has on our business, which makes us all the more keen to support our local awards.
What would you say to anyone thinking about entering or nominating?
If you are an apprentice or you know of one that really adds value in the workplace, that enjoys their job and knows they have made a great decision in following the apprenticeship route, then you should not hesitate to enter or nominate.
The process is very straightforward and the application form simple to complete, no trick questions, just an opportunity to speak positively and honestly about the apprenticeship experience. The awards will celebrate all that is good about apprenticeships in Oxfordshire and being nominated, making the final or possibly even winning are all positive experiences that apprentices and their employers will benefit from.
Tell us about your organisation’s experience of apprenticeships
The apprenticeship initiative at Darke & Taylor has evolved over time to become the cornerstone on which the company and its progression is founded. Today it is a vital part of our business model which recognises that sustainable success is about developing people. Over the last 50 years the company has offered jobs and training to in excess of 350 young school leavers and today over 20% of the workforce are engaged in an apprenticeship learning to become electricians, fire & security engineers, business administrators and ICT specialists.
Darke & Taylor is committed to apprenticeships and our scheme is special because it really delivers; four of our current Board Directors, two Associate Directors, eight senior managers and the majority of our senior engineers completed their apprenticeships with the company. We are very proud of our award-winning apprenticeships.
About the awards
The awards will be open for entries and nominations until midnight on the evening of Monday 24 February 2025. Finalists will be announced during Oxfordshire Apprenticeships Hour (hashtag #OAHour) across the OxLEP Skills social media channels from 13:00 on Thursday 24 April 2025. Winners will be announced at a special awards ceremony on Thursday 22 May 2025.
If you would like the opportunity to support the awards, please get in touch.
Join us for Oxfordshire Apprenticeships Hour (#OAHour) on X @OxonApprentice from 13:00-14:00 every Thursday for latest on the Awards and join in the conversation using the hashtag #OAAwards2025.