Alliance Learning, one of the North West’s largest independent training providers, celebrated its 21st Annual Awards evening on the 13th June. The event was sponsored by MBDA UK Ltd, world leader in missiles and missile systems, and provided a superb opportunity to recognise the outstanding achievements of North West apprentices and business course learners across the board.

Hosted by Alliance Learning Chief Executive, Steve Whitehead, the event took place at the MBDA head office in Locstock, Bolton. As well as Alliance board members  and the nominated learners themselves, other notable guests included local companies, representatives from the Best of Bolton and Learndirect and NAS and, of course, event sponsors for the second year running, MBDA UK Ltd.

Alliance Learning currently has over 500 learners on their training programmes and the training provider’s CEO acknowledged the difficultly for the judges to select just a handful of winners in the 13 categories.

Individual awards were based on performance and the winners were selected from nominations by Alliance Learning staff. Plus there were two additional awards, Company of the Year for Training & Development and the Jane Starr Employee of the Year Award, also nominated by Alliance staff.

The highlight of the evening was the highly coveted Apprentice of the Year Award, which was given to the learner who has shown exceptional commitment to their training programme and has gone above and beyond what is expected of an apprentice.

The 2013 Apprentice of the Year was announced as 22 year old Tim Waugh from Bolton who works as a Design and Project Engineer at Siemens Transmission & Distribution; he also picked up the Electrical Engineering Apprentice Award on the evening.

Tim has completed his Apprenticeship in Performing Engineering Operations and his Advanced Apprenticeship in Engineering Technical Support as well as a BTEC national & higher national diploma in Electrical & Electronic Engineering gaining distinctions in both. He is now continuing his good work at University and his proud employers are expecting equally impressive results.

Other award winners on the night included:

Business Administration Apprentice Award

Presented to Samantha Ball, 21, who is employed as a Logistics Apprentice at MBDA Ltd. Samantha has recently achieved her Advanced Apprenticeship in Business Administration as well as working towards her NVQ Level 4 and also undertaking a business management degree (part-time) and learning French.

Childcare Apprentice Award

Awarded to Leanne Pickup, 20, who works as a Nursery Nurse at Gaskells Private Day Nursery. Leanne has completed her Apprenticeship in Childcare and is currently working towards her Advanced Apprenticeship. She has also achieved her paediatric first aid certificate amongst other courses she has attended through her company.

Health & Social Apprentice Award

Awarded to Linzi Whittle, 21 from Wigan, who works as an Occupational therapist at N.H.S. Linzi has completed both her Apprenticeship and Advanced Apprenticeship in Health & Social Care.

Mechanical Engineering Apprentice Award

37 year old Michael Charnley, who is described by his Alliance tutor as an outstanding learner who excels at all subjects, has completed his Apprenticeship in Performing Engineering Operations and is now working towards his Advanced Apprenticeship.

Fabrication and Welding Apprentice Award

25 year old Jason Boardman is a Structural Steel Fabricator at William Hare Ltd.

He has completed his Apprenticeship in Performing Engineering Operations and is currently working towards his Advanced Apprenticeship.

Technical Engineering Apprentice Award

Won by 22 year old Mark Richards who works for MBDA UK Ltd and has recently achieved his Advanced Apprenticeship in Technical Engineering. Tim is currently working towards his NVQ Level 4 as well as a HND in Mechanical Engineering and, in September, will be starting a part-time Degree in Engineering.

Adult Learner Award

This year’s award winner is Tom Brown, 25, an Electrical Engineer at Krones UK Ltd, who is described by his Alliance Learning and Development Officer as a producer of work of the highest standard. Tom is nearing completion of his NVQ Level 3 in Engineering Maintenance and is working towards his HNC in Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

E-Learning Award

The E-Learning Award was presented to  61 year old James Bhupsingh Ian Gornall from Leigh. James was nominated for the award by the team at the LearnDirect Centre in Leigh after completing his Entry Level 1 and Level 2 in Numeracy and Literacy and his Level 1 ECDL Essentials and Level 2 ECDL Extra qualifications. Completing his learning has now given James the confidence and skills to inspire him to write his own book.

Alliance Learning Company Award for Training and Development

The award was presented to Krones UK Ltd, part of the Krones Group, headquartered in Germany, a company that plans, develops and manufactures machines and complete production lines for process, filling, packaging technology and intralogistics. Over the past 10 years Krones have recruited around 12 Apprentices in partnership with Alliance Learning.

The Engineering Academy Learner of the Year Award

The Alliance Learning Academies are part of a continuing partnership with a number of schools in the area. We offer pupils the opportunity to gain Engineering in an NVQ Level 2 in Engineering. The winner of the Engineering Academy of the Year Award was 16 year old Connor Walker from Radcliffe Riverside High School. Connor has recently completed his NVQ Level 2 in Performing Engineering Operations.

The final presentation of the evening was the Alliance Learning Jane Starr Employee of the Year Award about which, Alliance Learning Chief Executive Steve Whitehead said, “This award is named the Jane Starr award in remembrance of an Alliance Learning employee who we sadly lost 8 years ago to cancer. Jane was 36 years old when she passed away and had spent the last days of her life in Bolton Hospice which is our selected charity for this evening.” Raffle tickets were sold on the night and the proceeds of £150.00 will be sent to Bolton Hospice, where it will be put to excellent use.

The overall winner of  the award was Ian Chadderton from Greenmount, Bury, who was described by colleagues as a helpful, courteous and supportive member of staff, always willing to go the extra mile. Steve Whitehead described Ian as, “An exemplary role model and funny guy who makes people laugh and coming to work enjoyable, we will miss the sharing of his vast knowledge throughout the company, as he retires at the end of this year following 20 years’ service with Alliance Learning”.  

Of the organisation he leads, Steve said, “We are extremely proud of the contribution that Alliance Learning has made to the development of skills across the Greater Manchester and Lancashire area over the past 45 years or so. As a charity we provide training that meets the needs of the learners and employers. With our dedicated team of staff, we are able to support the learners of all ages.”