23rd April 2026 | Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol
Something special is happening this April, and you’re invited.
We’re celebrating the extraordinary people who remind us every single day why apprenticeships matter. The apprentices who arrive with nervous energy and leave with genuine confidence. The employers who don’t just tick boxes but genuinely invest in futures. The mentors who really go the extra mile for their apprentices.
This isn’t your standard awards ceremony with lukewarm applause and beige sandwiches. We’re talking black tie, three courses, Ashton Gate Stadium, and a mystery speaker who we are very exited about! (More on this soon).
Most importantly? It’s completely free to attend.
Because celebrating brilliance shouldn’t come with a price tag.
Why These Awards Matter
Every year, we meet apprentices who arrive thinking they’re “just” an apprentice. And every year, we watch them discover they’re capable of far more than they imagined.
We meet employers who take a genuine chance on potential over polish, who create environments where learning actually happens, and who prove that investing in people isn’t soft- it’s smart business.
These awards exist to shine a proper light on those stories. The ones that deserve to be told. The ones that prove apprenticeships aren’t a second-choice path but a brilliant one.
The Categories
We’ve created categories that reflect what actually matters, not just technical excellence (though that’s here), but resilience, creativity, leadership, and the kind of impact that can’t be measured on a spreadsheet.
We have awards for apprentices, employers and individuals. You can nominate yourself or someone else!
Once you’ve read the below you can Enter here
Apprentice of the Year (Headline Award)
Will be chosen from one of the winners of the other apprentice categories!
For an apprentice who has truly shone throughout their journey, embracing every opportunity with enthusiasm and dedication. This award celebrates someone who has grown both personally and professionally, demonstrated genuine passion for their work, and truly embodied what it means to be an apprentice.
Apprentice Awards
Marketing Apprentice of the Year
Criteria: This apprentice will have brought fresh perspective and creative energy to their marketing role. They’ll have shown natural flair for understanding audiences, contributed ideas that made a real difference, and developed into a valued team member through enthusiasm for learning and willingness to experiment.
Marketing Campaign of the Year
Criteria: This entry will showcase a campaign conceived and delivered by an apprentice, demonstrating creative thinking, strategic planning, and smart execution. Whether it’s a social media initiative that captured attention, a launch that generated buzz, or a clever campaign that connected with audiences in unexpected ways, it will include clear objectives, thoughtful audience insight, and measurable results that prove the ideas truly worked.
Content Creator Apprentice of the Year
Criteria: This apprentice will have demonstrated natural talent for storytelling and visual communication, consistently creating content that captures attention and authentically represents the brand. Whether through words, images, or video, they’ll have shown an instinctive understanding of what resonates with audiences and dedication to keep improving.
Business Admin / Customer Service Apprentice of the Year
Criteria: This apprentice will have become the reliable backbone their team depends on. They’ll have developed exceptional organisational skills, handled multiple priorities with calm efficiency, and consistently delivered excellent service. They’ll show genuine care for the people they support, whether colleagues or customers and demonstrate the professionalism and initiative that makes organisations run smoothly.
IT Apprentice of the Year
Criteria: This apprentice will have combined technical curiosity with a genuine desire to help others. They’ll have developed their skills while maintaining a calm, reliable presence that colleagues appreciate. They’ll approach problems with patience and creativity, aren’t afraid to ask questions, and are building a solid foundation for their IT career.
Software & Data Apprentice of the Year
Criteria: This apprentice will have discovered the power of code and data to solve real problems. They’ll embrace technical challenges with enthusiasm, apply their growing knowledge in practical ways, and demonstrate genuine excitement about how technology creates value. Their journey from learner to capable developer or analyst will have been impressive to witness.
Hairdressing Apprentice of the Year
Criteria: This apprentice’s skills and confidence will have blossomed beautifully. They’ll bring care and attention to every client interaction, show genuine pride in their developing technique, and embrace both the artistic and professional sides of hairdressing. Their positive energy and dedication will make them a pleasure to work with.
Education / Safeguarding Apprentice of the Year
Criteria: This apprentice will have made a genuine difference to the people they support. They’ll have shown natural empathy and patience, supported learning with creativity and adaptability, and created safe and nurturing environments where learners feel confident to grow. They’ll have understood the responsibility that comes with safeguarding roles, developed effective approaches to support diverse learning needs, and demonstrated that caring for others and helping them learn is both a skill and it’s own reward.
Leadership Apprentice of the Year
Criteria: This emerging leader will naturally bring out the best in others. They’ll have shown growing confidence in their voice and ideas, take responsibility with grace, and inspire colleagues through their actions. They’ll be developing the emotional intelligence and courage that great leadership requires, while staying humble and open to learning.
Management Apprentice of the Year
Criteria: This apprentice will be learning to balance people, priorities, and performance with increasing skill. They’ll listen thoughtfully, contribute constructive ideas, and be developing their ability to support and motivate others. They’ll show maturity in handling responsibility and are clearly growing into a manager others will want to work with.
Gamechanger Award
Criteria: This apprentice will have shattered expectations and proved that being “just an apprentice” is anything but. They’ll have made significant impact—whether through driving innovation, solving critical problems, or leading transformative projects. They’ll have challenged perceptions, raised the bar for what apprentices can achieve, and fundamentally changed how their organisation views apprenticeships.
Rising Star Award
Criteria: This apprentice will be early in their journey but already showing exceptional promise. They’ll have approached their role with infectious enthusiasm, impressive dedication, and a hunger to learn that’s inspiring to witness. Even though they’re just getting started, it will be clear they have a bright future ahead.
Resilience & Growth Award
Criteria: This apprentice’s journey won’t have been straightforward, but their determination will have been extraordinary. They’ll have faced genuine challenges and met them with remarkable courage and persistence. Their story will be one of growth through adversity, demonstrating maturity, strength, and an inspiring refusal to give up.
Employer Awards
Large Employer of the Year
Criteria: Show us how your organisation truly walks the walk when it comes to developing apprentices. Tell us about the structured programmes you’ve created, the quality mentoring you’ve invested in, and the culture where apprentices feel welcomed and valued. We want to hear how your commitment shows in the opportunities you provide and the genuine care for each individual’s journey.
SME Employer of the Year (50 employees or under)
Criteria: Tell us how your business has embraced apprentices wholeheartedly. Show us the hands-on experience, personal attention, and real opportunities to contribute you’ve provided despite potentially fewer resources. We want to hear how your apprentices aren’t just filling roles—they’re being nurtured as valued professionals.
Salon of the Year
Criteria: Show us how your salon excels at both beautiful hair and beautiful teaching. Tell us how you balance client excellence with apprentice development, creating a space where learning feels natural and mistakes are growth opportunities. We want to hear about your team’s commitment to sharing knowledge and building confident new professionals.
Commitment to Apprenticeships Award
Criteria: This organisation will have truly embedded apprenticeships into its DNA. They’ll have embraced apprenticeships at every level. Both upskilling existing staff while welcoming new talent, creating pathways from entry-level to leadership. Their commitment will run from the boardroom to the shopfloor, with apprenticeships seen not as a one-off initiative but as a fundamental part of how they grow and invest in their people.
Employer Innovation Award
Criteria: Show us how you’re using apprenticeships to drive real change in your industry. Tell us how you’ve looked beyond traditional approaches to create innovative programmes, tackle skills gaps in creative ways, or pioneer new applications of apprenticeship talent. We want to hear how your forward-thinking approach is not only transforming your own organisation but setting new standards for your entire sector.
Best Learning Culture Award – Employer award
Criteria: Show us how learning is woven into your daily work. Tell us about the environment you’ve built where curiosity is encouraged, development is ongoing, mistakes are learning opportunities, and everyone is growing. We want to hear about a culture that makes people excited to discover what they’ll learn today.
Individual Awards
Apprenticeship Ambassador Award
Criteria: This award is open to any individual, apprentice or not. Their enthusiasm for apprenticeships will be genuinely contagious. They’ll actively champion apprenticeships, share positive experiences, and help others see the life-changing opportunities available. Their advocacy will make a real difference in changing perceptions and opening doors.
Best Mentor Award
Criteria: Tell us about someone who embodies everything a great mentor should be. Show us how they generously share knowledge, offer encouragement when confidence wavers, celebrate progress, and genuinely care about their apprentice’s success. We want to hear how they don’t just teach skills—they build belief and help shape futures.
The Details
When: Thursday 23rd April 2026, starting at 6:00 PM
Where: Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol BS3 2EJ
Dress Code: Black tie (yes, really – we’re doing this properly)
What’s Included: Three-course meal, awards ceremony, and a night you’ll actually want to remember
Cost: Absolutely free
Tickets? Coming soon!
Ready to Enter?
If you know an apprentice who deserves recognition, an employer doing brilliant work, or a mentor making genuine impact, we want to hear about it.
Nominations are open now. Don’t wait until the last minute- brilliant work deserves to be celebrated, and we genuinely cannot wait to hear your stories.
Ticket information will be released soon. See you on the red carpet!