Pictured (left to right) are: Sarah Marlow, Skills Hub Deputy Manager; Ryan Harris, Regional Director at The Hill Group (headline sponsor); Sarah Jaycock, Co-founder and Executive Director of High Spec Composites (awards host and committee member); Simon Newton, Managing Director of Darke & Taylor (awards host and committee member) and Tiffany Hickman, People Apprentice (Learning & Development) at Blenheim Palace.
The key Oxfordshire celebration – now in its ninth year – is set to celebrate a milestone of over 100 winners announced over its duration at the awards ceremony, which is taking place on Thursday 22 May.
Enterprise Oxfordshire (formerly OxLEP) have today (Thursday 24 April) announced the finalists of this year’s much anticipated Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards, taking place on Thursday 22 May at the iconic ‘Long Library’ within the world-renowned Blenheim Palace.
A total of 36 finalists – including apprentices, businesses and representatives from a variety of employers and education providers – now eagerly await finding out whether they will be announced as winners at the awards ceremony, which will once again shine a light on apprenticeship successes across Oxfordshire.
The event – organised by Enterprise Oxfordshire, with the support of a business-led awards committee – is set to bring together those who are starting or developing their career as apprentices, companies committed to apprenticeship provision and those driving-forward such opportunities in the county.
The awards will recognise work-based learning excellence across a breadth of sectors, with a particularly diverse range of industries identified across finalists this year including construction, adult social care, hairdressing, architecture, IT and youth work.
Many of the sectors represented by finalists of this year’s awards have also been identified as key sectors within the county’s Local Skills Improvement Plan, highlighting the correlation between apprenticeships in those sectors and employment uptake in these industries.
This year’s event will not only recognise individual apprentices, but also, those associated with apprenticeships, including across award categories such as ‘Apprenticeship Ambassador of the Year’ and ‘Inspiring the Future Employer of the Year’.
The 100th award ever presented at the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards is set to go to the winner of the ‘Apprenticeship Employer of the Year (250+ Employees)’ category.
This year has also seen the most entries and nominations to the awards ever, including 74 individual current or recent apprentices, 35 employers and 26 training providers.
Nigel Tipple – Chief Executive of Enterprise Oxfordshire – said: “The Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards offer a vital opportunity to celebrate all things apprenticeships in the county and highlight the people truly making the most of – and providing others with – such important opportunities.
“Apprenticeships provide young people and career changers with the opportunity to gain new skills and on-the-job experience, whilst earning a fair wage and obtaining an industry-specific qualification.
“They each offer fantastic training opportunities to talented individuals and benefit businesses too, with new ideas helping companies to stay ahead of their competitors.
“The 2025 Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards will not only celebrate individual successes but also inspire young people and employers across the county to begin their apprenticeship journey.
“The fact that many of the sectors represented by the awards finalists cover such a variety of sectors – and many of which align with the Local Skills Improvement Plan – is a key indicator of the strides Oxfordshire is taking with regards to the talent pipeline in the county.
“On behalf of Enterprise Oxfordshire – and the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards Committee – I offer my congratulations to all of the finalists, as we look forward to celebrating them further next month.”
A full list of award finalists are as follows, selected by category sponsors representing several key sectors:
Intermediate Apprentice of the Year Award:
Sponsored by Abbott Diabetes Care
Finalists:
- Abigail Harker, Apprentice Recruitment Administration Assistant – employer: University of Oxford; training provider: GLP Training
- Thomas Nilen, Apprentice Bricklayer – employer: Hummels Brickwork; training provider: Activate Learning
- Jack Robins, Transactional Accounts Assistant – employer: Jonas Europe; training provider: Abingdon & Witney College
Advanced Apprentice of the Year Award:
Sponsored by NielsenIQ
Finalists:
- Gabriella Balfour-Allen, Engineering Apprentice – employer: Abbott Diabetes Care; training provider: Oxfordshire Advanced Skills
- Imani D’Amore, Apprentice Youth Support Worker – employer: Oxfordshire County Council; training provider: UCAN
- Nicholas Fountain, Apprentice Plumber – employer: GasWise Plumbing & Heating Services (UK) Ltd; training provider: Oxford Energy Academy
Higher Apprentice of the Year Award:
Sponsored by Siemens Healthineers Magnet Technology
Finalists:
- Megan Johnston, Finance Assistant – employer: Blenheim Palace; training provider: Reed Business School
- Faith King, Furntire Apprenticeships Teacher – employer: Activate Learning; training provider: Activate Learning
- Jessie Weavers-Medina, Centre Administrator – employer: University of Oxford Kellogg College; training provider: Abingdon & Witney College
Special Recognition Award:
Sponsored by M Group Highways
Finalists:
- Yasmin Betteridge, Youth Work Apprentice – employer: TRAIN – Inspiring Young People; training provider: B Skill
- Scarlet Boyd, Senior Stylist and Colourist – employer: Popham Hairdressing; training provider: Introtrain & Forum Limited
- Imani D’Amore, Apprentice Youth Support Worker – employer: Oxfordshire County Council; training provider: UCAN
Rising Star Award:
Sponsored by Popham Hairdressing
Finalists:
- Adam Hitchman, Business Administration Apprentice (HR) – employer: Signifo Limited t/as Webexpenses; training provider: Abingdon & Witney College
- Alice Howes, Apprentice HR Assistant – employer: University of Oxford; training provider: Abingdon & Witney College
- Roman Kane, Maintenance Technician Electrical – employer: Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford; training provider: Abingdon & Witney College
Shining Star Award:
Sponsored by IST INTECH
Finalists:
- Scarlet Boyd, Senior Stylist and Colourist – employer: Popham Hairdressing; training provider: Introtrain & Forum Limited
- Tiffany Hickman, People Apprentice (Learning & Development) – employer: Blenheim Palace; training provider: Inspiro Learning
- Rossi Salvatore, Product Manager – Retail – employer: Karcher UK Ltd; training provider: Warwickshire College Group
Apprenticeship Ambassador Award:
Sponsored by Grundon
Finalists:
- Katy Claridge, Architectural Apprentice – employer: Associated Architects; training provider: University of Nottingham
- Tiffany Hickman, People Apprentice (Learning & Development) – employer: Blenheim Palace; training provider: Inspiro Learning
- Emilia Reyes Pabon, Apprentice Technician Scientist – employer: University of Oxford BioEscalator; training provider: University of Kent
Skills Champion Award:
Sponsored by The Engineering Trust
Finalists:
- Jo Bennett, Assistant Manager, Fairfield Residential Home
- Helen Cannon, Co-Founder / Director, Intake Talent
- Caroline Walton, Director – ELS Awarding Organisation, Explosive Learning Solutions (ELS) Ltd
Inspiring the Future Award:
Sponsored by Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
Finalists:
- ACE Training
- Intake Talent
- Morgan Sindall Construction
Training Provider Individual Award:
Sponsored by Oxford Brookes University
Finalists:
- James Barrett, Electrical Tutor, JTL Training
- Jess Greenfield, Apprentice Mentor, South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
- Rebecca Manger, Assessor, Introtrain & Forum Ltd
Apprenticeship Employer of the Year (<250 Employees) Award:
Sponsored by Olamalu
Finalists:
- Explosive Learning Solutions (ELS) Ltd
- Fairfield Residential Home
- Popham Hairdressing
Apprenticeship Employer of the Year (250+ Employees) Award:
Sponsored by Assure UK
Finalists:
- Grundon Waste Management
- Oxfordshire County Council
- University of Oxford
Enterprise Oxfordshire added that they are also grateful to receive the support of High Spec Composites, Darke & Taylor, Jonas Europe, Oxford North, Activate Learning, the South East Apprenticeship Ambassador Network, Oxfordshire County Council, Oxfordshire Advanced Skills and the University of Oxford.
The Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards 2025 will take place on Thursday 22 May in the Long Library at Blenheim Palace.
Enterprise Oxfordshire became the new trading name of the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP) on 1 April. The change marked the completion of a two-year process that saw the economic development functions – previously led by Local Enterprise Partnerships – altered so that they were to be overseen via a mechanism agreed by respective upper-tier local authorities, in this instance, Oxfordshire County Council.
Oxfordshire County Council now act as Enterprise Oxfordshire’s 100% shareholder, known as a Teckal company arrangement.
You can also follow the awards on social media via: #OAAwards2025.