Who Won At The West Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards 2025?

Every now and then, something properly uplifting happens that reminds us how many brilliant people are out there putting in the graft behind the scenes. That’s exactly what the West Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards 2025 did. Held on 15 May at the Cedar Court Hotel in Bradford, the evening was buzzing with energy, applause, and more than a few emotional speeches.

If you’ve ever wondered what an apprenticeship can actually lead to—or whether it's still a solid choice for young people trying to break into tough industries—this event answered loud and clear. Apprenticeships aren’t just stepping stones anymore. They’re launchpads.

Celebrating apprenticeships that actually work

Let’s be honest. The word “apprenticeship” doesn’t always get the respect it deserves. Some still picture a teenager making tea in an office or sweeping a building site. But the West Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards flipped that image on its head—celebrating people working in everything from early years care to engineering, law, construction, and even aviation.

This year marked the third edition of the awards, first set up in 2022 by the Yorkshire Evening Post, in partnership with the Halifax Courier and Wakefield Express. Since then, it’s become a proper calendar highlight.

And it’s not just about the apprentices. Employers, training providers and mentors all got their moment to shine too—because no one gets anywhere alone.

A night full of claps, cheers and actual inspiration

The host for the evening, Rich Williams, kept things upbeat as 14 awards were handed out to some seriously impressive people and companies.

The event also raised £1,600 for Aphasia Support, this year’s charity partner. Their CEO, James Major, said:

“We’re a small charity, so this is a huge thing.
This event also helps us raise awareness of aphasia because the Stroke Association found that 95% of people don’t actually know what it is.”

Talk about making a difference on multiple fronts.

The full winners list from the West Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards 2025

Here’s who took home the trophies:

• Intermediate Apprentice of the Year (Level 2):
  Ellie Brown – Early years apprentice at Kids Planet
  (Sponsored by Cedar Court Hotels)
• Advanced Apprentice of the Year (Level 3):
  Rafael Surdu – Catch Leeds “An apprenticeship really helped me develop into who I am now.”
• Higher Apprentice of the Year (Level 4–5):
  Charlie Brady – EN:Able Futures
  (Judges called Charlie “invaluable”)
• Degree Apprentice of the Year (Level 6+):
  Ruby Ingham – NG Bailey
• Construction Apprentice of the Year:
  Ahmed Shakir – Abrahams and Carlisle
• Engineering/Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year:
  Maegan Green – Reliance Precision Ltd
  (Sponsored by Springfield Training)
• Health and Public Service Apprentice of the Year:
  Olivia Blackham – Wakefield Council “Doing my apprenticeship has led me to find my career.”
• Professional Services Apprentice of the Year:
  Maxwell McCartney – Freeths LLP
  (Presented by judge Emma Pearmaine of Ridley and Hall Legal Ltd)
• Technology and Digital Apprentice of the Year:
  Janka Brabcova – Bradford District Credit Union “I feel amazing!”
• Mentor of the Year:
  Ian Brewer – Bradford District Credit Union
  (Nominated by Janka herself, which is a full-circle moment if we’ve ever seen one.)
• Apprentice Ambassador of the Year (NEW award):
  Katie Rankin – Jet2.com & Jet2holidays
  (Recognised for advocating apprenticeships far and wide. Sponsored by Yorkshire Water.)
• SME Employer of the Year:
  CML Civil Engineering
  (Sponsored by Luminate Education Group)
• Large Employer of the Year:
  Asda “We offer apprenticeships to school leavers and existing colleagues,” said Sarah Steel, Future Talent Specialist.
• Training Provider/Programme of the Year:
  Lifetime Training Ltd
  (Praised for promoting inclusivity and helping people genuinely grow their careers.)

Behind every great apprentice is a great support system

These awards weren’t just about the winners. Judges gave special shoutouts to the ones who didn’t win but came close—and made it clear that deciding on the top names wasn’t easy.

Emma Pearmaine, one of the judges, summed it up well:

“It was a great responsibility to get right and so difficult to pick winners.”

That says a lot about the level of talent on show.

Sponsors who helped make it all happen

You can’t throw a party like this without a few helping hands. Shoutout to the event’s sponsors:

• Bradford District Credit Union
• Bradford College
• Cedar Court Hotels
• FDM Group
• Luminate Education Group
• Springfield Training
• Yorkshire Water
• Yorkshire and Humber Apprenticeship Ambassador Network

Without them, none of this would’ve come together.

Final thoughts (and a bit of dancing)

Once the awards were all handed out, it was time for the best part—celebration. Attendees hit the dance floor, took snaps in the photo booth, and swapped stories at the bar.

It wasn’t just a good night. It was a reminder that apprenticeships really do open doors—and sometimes, those doors lead to stages, trophies and a room full of people clapping just for you.

The West Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards will be back in 2026. Same energy. More talent.