The eighth 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 16 May 2024 at Williams Racing Conference Centre.
We’re delighted to introduce Banbury based chartered accountants and registered auditor Assure UK as sponsor of the Apprenticeship Employer Award (<250 employees).
Here, Jade Brooker, Manager at Assure UK and former apprentice (pictured left), explains why the firm has chosen to sponsor this award and what apprenticeships mean to them.
Why are you supporting the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards and why you have chosen to sponsor your particular category?
From being a firm who has previously been highly commended at the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards in 2019 for the Apprenticeship Employer (<250 employees), we jumped at the opportunity to be involved for the third year in a row in sponsoring this award.
What are you looking for in the winner of your category?
We are looking for employers who go the extra mile for their employees. We want to see something different and not what is expected from employers.
We want to learn what your employees see as a benefit of the apprenticeship to see if this is something we can implement into our team. We want to use this as a learning curve as much as a celebration for another employer.
What would you say to anyone thinking about entering or nominating?
There is nothing to lose if you enter but there is a loss if you do not enter. You may think you wouldn’t have a chance in winning the award, but you don’t know unless you try. You should have the confidence in your company that you are doing the best you can for your apprentices.
Even if apprenticeships have only recently been introduced in your company, then this doesn’t mean you don’t have the experience to enter for this award.
Tell us about your organisation’s experience of apprenticeships
At Assure UK we currently have seven employees who are undertaking an apprenticeship in either accountancy or marketing.
One of our team members is an Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Ambassador and an ACCA Ambassador. This has allowed us to spread the word about how important apprenticeships are and what they mean to not only us as a company but also to our team members as individuals.
About the awards
The awards will be open for entries and nominations until midnight on the evening of Monday 19 February 2024. Finalists will be announced during Oxfordshire Apprenticeships Hour (hashtag #OAHour) on Twitter @OxonApprentice from 13:00 on Thursday 18 April 2024. Winners will be announced at a special awards ceremony on Thursday 16 May 2024.
If you would like the opportunity to support the awards, please get in touch.
Join us for Oxfordshire Apprenticeships Hour (#OAHour) on Twitter @OxonApprentice from 13:00-14:00 every Thursday for latest on the Awards and join in the conversation using the hashtag #OAAwards2024.