Gestamp Tallent has beaten off competition from entrants across the region to win the North-East final of the National Apprenticeship Awards 2015.
Newton Aycliffe’s biggest employer fought off stiff competition from other firms to be named regional winner of the Large Employer of the Year category.
Gestamp will now go through national judging in the hope of becoming a national finalist.
The awards, now in their twelfth year, are run by the National Apprenticeship Service and recognise excellence in two areas: businesses that grow their own talent with apprentices and apprentices who have made a significant contribution to their workplaces.
Gestamp’s training controller David Pearson, pictured (above) with commercial apprentice Hannah Potter, said: “We are delighted to have won this award as apprenticeships are fundamental to our business.
“Our apprentices have exceeded expectations, in terms of commercial benefits to the business and increased loyalty.
“That is why a lot of our apprentices have enjoyed good progression within the company and have worked their way up to senior positions, forming the backbone of the business.”
Gestamp Tallent was chosen as the winner in the Large Employer of the Year Category for the strength and depth of their apprentice training programmes, their commitment to recruiting apprentices on an annual basis and also promoting apprenticeships within the local area.
The award was sponsored by BAE Systems
Sue Husband, director of the National Apprenticeship Service, said: “Apprenticeships deliver for businesses, individuals and the economy.
“They enable people to gain the skills and knowledge they need to succeed, in some cases up to degree level, while working and earning. And for businesses, hiring apprentices is a productive and effective way for them to grow their own talent by developing a motivated, skilled and qualified workforce.
“The National Apprenticeship Awards enable talented apprentices and committed employers to receive the recognition they richly deserve. They not only help celebrate the achievements of apprentices and businesses, allowing them to gain the credit for investing in their own futures, but they drive up quality and encourage others to get involved.
“I would like to Gestamp Tallent on their achievement. They deserve to be rewarded for their efforts. There has never been a better time to become an apprentice or employ one.”