Oldham College held its annual Employer and Apprenticeship Awards earlier this month (February 7).
The event, hosted by Alun Francis and special guest Angela Rayner MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Education, celebrated the achievements of all our hardworking apprentices and valued employers.
The stories behind all of our nominees and award winners showcased how great working relationships are changing futures – and how that benefits learners, businesses and the local economy.
Our flagship award – Apprentice of the Year – was shared by two worthy winners: Barbering apprentice Matthew Cunningham and Electrical apprentice Jonathan Sherratt.
“It’s amazing,” said Matthew, on receiving his award.
“I’ve wanted to get into barbering for years and never had the courage to do it. Oldham College has been so helpful – getting me onto the course and supporting me all the way through it.
“Because I’ve been determined to do it for so long, getting stuck into the course and doing what I could to get qualified was second nature to me.’
Jonathan Sherratt, who also received the coveted prize, was shocked to have been chosen.
“It’s a prestigious award to win”, he said. “To be recognised out of all the apprentices that come to the College, I’ve won it – it’s amazing!”
Despite completing his apprenticeship seven months early, Jonathan’s journey wasn’t as smooth as Matthew’s as he worked with a total of four different employers to become qualified. However, he explains that going through that has been a positive experience.
“It’s taught me resilience”, he said. “I can apply myself to any company. I could walk in anywhere, make friends and get on with the job at hand, and I’ve learned domestic, commercial and industrial aspects of the electrical world. Not many people get the chance to do that.”
Perry Cuppello, Sector Manager for Construction and Automotive at Oldham College, praised Jonathan’s early achievement and his efforts representing the College at the WorldSkills UK regional and national competitions.
“Due to an administrative error, Jonathan had to travel to Kent to take part in the regional contest”, he said.
“He showed excellent motivation and commitment to do this, and eventually won the heat. He then represented the College in the national finals, where he came a creditable fifth.
“Jonathan acted professionally at all times during this process and represented the college excellently.’
The future looks bright for both of our winners.
Matthew has gone straight into work at Cut Throat Kenny in Oldham town centre, where he’d already built up a client base during his apprenticeship.
Meanwhile Jonathan has also started work at the Mears Group, one of the UK’s leading house and care providers to both the public and private sectors.
