Top apprentices to be revealed at Ladder for the Black Country awards
The winners of the first Ladder for the Black Country Apprenticeship Awards will be revealed on Thursday.
The 2022 awards dinner is being held at Wolverhampton's Grand Station events venue in Sun Street, with 285 guests attending.
Winners in 11 categories will be announced following the three-course awards dinner
The awards have been organised by the Express & Star in conjunction with the Ladder for the Black Country apprenticeships campaign and headline sponsor City of Wolverhampton Council.
The Express & Star's overall apprentice of the year 2022 will come from the six apprentice of the year categories: construction and property industries; engineering and manufacturing; health, education and care; professional services; technology, digital and creative industries and hospitality, retail, leisure and travel.
The other awards are: education and engagement, large employer of the year (250 plus), medium employer of the year (51 to 249), small employer of the year (up to 50) and training provider of the year.
City of Wolverhampton Council leader Councillor Ian Brookfield, who will be speaking at the event, will present the overall apprentice of the year award.
Chairman of the Ladder Apprenticeship Foundation, Kevin Davis, will welcome guests and introduce a video message from West Midlands Mayor Andy Street.
The evening is being compered by Wolverhampton-born disc jockey Dicky Dodd, who hosts the weekday breakfast show on 101.8 WCR FM which is based in the city.
Editor-in-Chief of the Express & Star, Martin Wright, said the awards came out of the Ladder for the Black Country apprenticeships campaign which the newspaper has been supporting since its launch in 2014.
"We all recognise the importance of supporting apprentices, employers and training providers in Wolverhampton and the Black Country and we want to acknowledge and celebrate the very best across our region," he said.
He also thanked sponsors for their generous support for the inaugural awards. They include: Collins Aerospace, Wolverhampton Homes, Phoenix Consortia, voestalpine Metsec, Aartree Bight Bar, Openreach, BCTG, Marston's, National Grid, Grand Station, Higgs LLP, Homeserve Furniture Repairs, Malthouse Engineering and Performance Through People.
Details of all the winners will be featured in the Express & Star on Friday.
