The Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards 2022 recognised the best talent in the county with a special live-streamed event on Thursday 19 May, followed by an in-person celebration evening at Williams F1 Conference Centre on 26 May, where finalists were presented with their trophies.
The School/College Engagement Employer Award recognises employers that have exceeded normal standards and expectations in engaging with local schools and colleges to inspire the next generation. It was won by Ignite Sport UK, an organisation that aims to inspire people with sport, activity and wellbeing and to help create a sense of achievement for participants of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.
As a community and socially minded business, engaging with schools and colleges is in Ignite’s DNA. They have built excellent relationships with local schools and colleges, including special schools. Staff, including apprentices, attend an array of careers events for students in year 7 upwards.
They are continually refining how they engage with students, such as delivering practical sessions and weaving in careers conversations. Ignite offer varied work experience placements, which lead to apprenticeships.
The School/College Engagement Employer Award was kindly sponsored by Harwell Science and Innovation Campus. PR and Communications Manager at Harwell Kathryn Page, who judged the award, said: “From breaking down stigmas, to encouraging more females into a traditionally male dominated sector, diversifying outreach programmes and engaging with SEN units, Ignite Sport UK were able to show, that despite challenging circumstances, they continued to deliver and improve their career enrichment activities. As a judging team, we were really impressed by their work to encourage more girls into football and sport as well as embedding and aligning their SEN engagement seamlessly into their strategy.”
Hannah Bladen, General Manager at Ignite said: “We are absolutely delighted to win this award. It reflects the hard work the whole team puts into supporting work experience placements, attending careers events and wider student engagement. The effort we place on such activity provides dual benefit - young people gain valuable insight into our industry and we are able to recruit the cream of the talent to add value to our business. Every single one of us was young once and we all remember how daunting it was to make career choices…. we try and make it a little easier for the current teenage population.”
About the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards 2023
The awards will be open for entries and nominations until midnight on the evening of Friday 17 February 2023. Finalists will be announced during Oxfordshire Apprenticeships Hour (hashtag #OAHour) on Twitter @OxonApprentice from 13:00 on Thursday 20 April 2023. Winners will be announced at a special awards ceremony on Thursday 18 May 2023.
Visit our Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards 2023 page
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 every Thursday for latest on the Awards and join in the conversation using the hashtag #OAAwards2023.
