7 October 2020

Skills Training UK and three inspiring apprentices shortlisted for BAME Apprenticeship Awards 2020

Skills Training UK is proud to announce that three of our apprentices, employed at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Kingston NHS Trust and consultancy firm Mott MacDonald, have been selected as finalists in the 2020 BAME Apprenticeship Awards.

The BAME Apprenticeship Awards, in partnership with Pearson, showcase the outstanding work and achievement of apprentices from black and minority ethnic groups (BAME) and are designed to inspire BAME apprentices to reach their full potential.

The awards also highlight the employers and learning providers who are committed to inspiring BAME professionals and communities through Apprenticeships and further education.

Additionally, Skills Training UK has been selected as a finalist in the Learning Provider of the Year category.

Evette Smith works within the billing department for Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and is near completion of her Level 3 Business Administration Apprenticeship, which has significantly improved her confidence and team management skills.

Skills Training UK has been working with The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust since 2018 in support of the Trust’s ambitious workforce strategy, including for recruitment into administrative roles and to further develop the management team with higher-level Apprenticeships.

Alongside her role as billing officer, Evette is also an equality rep and Vice Chair for the hospital’s BAME Forum, which she uses to actively network and inspire other BAME employees within the trust.

Evette said: “I’m so pleased to be shortlisted! This Apprenticeship has enhanced the way I lead, communicate, support, and collaborate with my team members, which has been extremely important during the pandemic. Winning this award would empower me in my role as equality rep to inspire more BAME professionals to consider Apprenticeships as a way of developing their career.”

Wafa Sehalia works at Kingston NHS Trust and recently took up her second Apprenticeship programme, the Level 4 Associate Project Manager.

During the programme, Wafa has already undertaken a project to research and implement smart patient monitoring devices at the trust, helping to reduce clinical errors, enhancing patient safety, and improving staff efficiency.

Wafa said: “I feel honoured that the project work I am doing has been recognised to be good enough to be shortlisted for this award. I’m proud that the work I carry out for our community and patients has made a positive impact and is making a difference on people’s lives”.

Janan Rudder, a Level 4 Associate Project Manager Apprentice at Mott MacDonald, was announced as a finalist within the Financial and Legal Services category. Janan said; “The Apprenticeship has made me a lot more confident in my role and I am proud of myself for continuing my learning journey, despite the challenges faced by Covid-19. It’s great to see the impact I am having with my clients and I think winning the award would be a sentiment to all of the hardworking young BAME professionals who are starting their careers.”

Stephen Crawley, Chief Operating Officer, Skills Training UK, said: “We are committed to celebrating diversity and inclusion and we are very proud of the achievements of Evette, Wafa and Janan. We’d like to thank The Royal Marsden, Kingston NHS Trust and Mott MacDonald for the opportunity to work with them as their Apprenticeships partner. They all have an exceptional commitment to equality and diversity in their workforce. 

“At Skills Training UK we work effectively with our employer clients to understand their workforce goals before designing and delivering high quality apprenticeships delivery which has continued throughout Covid-19 through online learning and virtual 1-2-1 support. We feel honoured to be shortlisted for the BAME Apprenticeship Awards Learning Provider of the Year.”

The winners of all categories are due to be revealed at an Awards Gala Dinner on Wednesday 11 November.

To find out more about Skills Training UK’s wide range of Apprenticeship programmes, click here.