Agenda item

APSE Apprentice of the Year Awards Recognition     

APSE Apprentice of the Year Awards Recognition

The Chair advised that the APSE Apprentice of the Year Awards was open to all local authorities to recognise the achievements of front line service apprentices and the support they received from Councils and partner organisations.  The prestigious Awards were presented to the most enthusiastic apprentices who proved themselves to be innovative and focused on producing excellence in their service area.  In competition against peers from across the United Kingdom, it was a significant achievement for an apprentice to be announced as a shortlisted finalist.  The Chair was pleased to inform that Flintshire County Council had three apprentices who had reached the finals of the APSE Apprentice of the Year Awards Recognition in 2019.

The Chair welcomed and introduced Gareth Allen, Apprentice Painter and Decorator,  Housing Asset Management, Finalist in the ‘Building Skills’ category; Matthew Evans, Streetscene Operational Apprentice, Finalist in the ‘Streetscene’ category; and Adam Cook, Streetscene Operational Apprentice, who was overall winner of the ‘Streetscene’ category.

Councillor Carolyn Thomas explained that Matthew and Adam had joined the Council in September 2018 as Streetscene Operational Apprentices and were beginning their second year of the programme.  During the first year they had worked alongside operational staff on highways maintenance, grounds maintenance, cleansing and waste and recycling services, whilst completing an Environmental Services NVQ at Coleg Cambria.  Matthew and Adam had been nominated for the APSE Apprentice of the Year Awards 2019 after receiving positive feedback about their attitude, enthusiasm, and progress, from their mentors and college tutor.  Both were strong contestants and shortlisted as Finalists.   Following a rigorous interview process against other contenders from across the UK, Adam was awarded Overall Winner of the Streetscene Category.  

Councillor Thomas spoke in support of the apprentice scheme which had been provided by the Streetscene service for the last five years and said it provided a valuable opportunity for young people to learn a range of new skills and operate machinery.  Apprentices worked in a number of areas across the Streetscene Service to gain an overall view and identify their preferences.  Councillor Thomas advised that the Service also offered a range of certificated national accredited training which was provided ‘in-house’.  She expressed her congratulations to Matthew and Adam and thanks to their tutors and mentors.

Councillor Ian Dunbar congratulated Gareth on achieving Finalist in the ‘Building Skills’ category.  He explained Gareth had started his apprenticeship with the Council as a painter and decorator in September 2018 and had proved himself to be an asset to the Service.   In addition to being a finalist at the APSE Awards, Gareth was also recently awarded a Certificate of Recognition at “Skills Competition Wales” following nomination by his college tutor.  Feedback from the APSE judges stated: “Gareth came across as passionate about his apprenticeship and gave excellent insight into the value it has to him personally and his ambitions for the future”. 

The Chair congratulated Gareth, Matthew and Adam on their achievements and presented them with their APSE Awards. 

The Chair thanked Ian Peters and Denise Price, Team Managers – Housing & Assets, and Gemma Boniface, Wayne Jones and Russell Broughton, Streetscene & Transportation, for their work and support.