Positive impact of apprentices celebrated at awards ceremony

Published on 20, February, 2025

The achievements of University of Sunderland apprentices have been celebrated at a special awards ceremony to mark the end of National Apprenticeship Week.

The University’s annual awards recognise the efforts and contributions that its current and graduate apprentices make in the region and amplifying the organisations that create these opportunities.

The apprentices taking home prizes this year are:

Steph Capewell, founder and CEO of Sunderland-based baby bank charity Love, Amelia – Community Impact Award (Senior Leader Apprenticeship)

Yan Cunningham, South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust – Impact and Research Award (Advanced Clinical Practitioner)

Hannah Woodward, Bright Futures NE – Apprentice of the Year (Community and Youth Work)

Scott Simpson, Kasai UK – Apprentice of the Year (Engineering)

Kevin Joisce, Sunderland Royal Hospital​ – Skills Development Champion Award (Advanced Clinical Practitioner)

Drew Mason, Pathology, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust​ – Rising Star Award (Biomedical Science Practice Apprenticeship)​

Rebecca Dawson, Sunderland City Council – Workplace Mentor of the Year Award (Occupational Therapy Degree Apprenticeship)

Brett Ramshaw, Alexander Technologies Europe LTD​ – Innovation Award (Team Leader)

Awards also went to Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust who were crowned Employer of Year and Programme Leader for the University’s Senior Leader Degree Apprenticeship, ​David Pearson, who won Tutor of the Year.

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Sarah Beck, Academic Director of Apprenticeships at the University, said: “The number of nominations from employers, apprentices and academic staff highlighted the positive impact that our apprenticeship programmes have on individuals and organisations across our region and beyond.

“Apprenticeships enable employers to fill skills gaps and develop their staff but also give apprentices – who often have years of practical experience – the opportunity to gain the knowledge, skills and confidence to progress in their chosen career.

“The awards ceremony itself was a joyful event; it was great to have representatives of so many different stakeholders in the room – employers, academic staff and of course the apprentices themselves. It was a fantastic reminder of the diversity of our provision, the strong partnerships we have with employers and of just how far apprenticeships have come at the University of Sunderland in recent years, giving us great hope for the future.”

The awards were held at the Roker Hotel, Sunderland, as part of National Apprenticeship Week 2025 (Monday 10 February – Sunday 16 February), which saw the University shine a light on the inspirational work of its apprentices, partners and staff, as well as showcase the impact apprenticeships can have on communities, local businesses and regional economies.

The University launched its advanced, higher and degree apprenticeships programme in 2017.

Starting with just a handful of employers, the University scheme has grown year on year, now partnering with more than 150 organisations. There are currently just under 1,000 apprentices on an advanced, higher and degree apprenticeship programme covering a range of sectors and job roles with over 340 enrolments so far this year.

Sarah added: “So many of our apprentices are doing great things and it is always difficult to pick out individuals, but the achievements we celebrated in the awards ceremony were really inspiring and clearly showed how apprentices are making a positive difference through finding innovative solutions to challenges in the workplace or conducting and applying research within their job roles.

“It was also evident how much apprentices appreciate and value the support given to them by their workplace mentors and academic staff. It really is a team effort.”

The awards were co-funded by the Office for Students.

If you are a prospective apprentice or an employer who wants to find out more about how the University of Sunderland apprenticeships can help your business, click here.