Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Awards Winners Announced

McGuinness Plumbing has been named the SME Employer of the year at the annual Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Awards.

This year's ceremony, compered by local presenter Sarah Travers, was the highlight of a week of special events held during the third annual Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Week which shines a spotlight on the range and excellence of apprenticeships across the region.

Speaking at the event, Economy Minister Gordon Lyons said: "I want to commend all the finalists who were shortlisted for this year's awards and congratulate the winners. With around 10,000 participants across our apprenticeship and higher level apprenticeship programmes, to be nominated for these awards is testament to your enthusiasm, dedication to learning and the qualities you bring to your employers.

"I would also like to pay tribute to the great work being done by training providers and employers, without whose support, commitment and foresight we would not be able to deliver apprenticeships. The calibre of entries this year has once again been extremely high and reflects the continued success of apprenticeships during what has been a hugely challenging year for businesses and learners."

The Minister concluded: "As our economy continues to recover following the effects of the pandemic, developing the local skills base is a key priority for me and a cornerstone of the recovery. My Department's 10X Economic Vision and associated Skills Strategy set out how we want to equip people with the skills they need for the constantly evolving jobs market and build on Northern Ireland's successes on the global stage. Apprenticeships have a vital role to play in making this a reality."

The 2022 winners are:

• The SME Employer Award:

McGuinness Plumbing in partnership with Southern Regional College.

• The Higher Level Apprentice Award:

Lewis Connelly, working towards his HLA in Food and Drink Manufacturing, is employed by Linden Foods Ltd and is undergoing his training at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise.

• The Apprentice Award:

Lauren Johnston, working towards a Level 3 in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering, is employed by Diageo Packaging Belfast and is undergoing her training at South Eastern Regional College.

• The Large Employer Award:

The joint winners are Farrans Construction in partnership with Ulster University and Greiner Packaging Ltd in partnership with South West College.