Employers recognised at Business and Apprenticeship Awards

Education Partnership North East (EPNE) held an inspiring event to celebrate the achievements of the region’s apprentices as part of National Apprenticeship Week 2025.

Held at Sunderland College’s City Campus and hosted by EPNE Chief Executive Ellen Thinnesen, the Business and Apprenticeship Awards were attended by senior leaders from across the North East and beyond.

The evening saw seven apprentices receive Apprentice of the Year awards across different sectors including Engineering, Health and Social Care, and Land Based industries, from Louise Bradford and Louise Doyle, EPNE’s vice chair and Governor.

Ellen Thinnesen, Chief Executive of EPNE, said: “It was great to see so many employers attend from right across the region in a range of sectors and industries. It’s a real reflection of our reach and impact.

“Hearing why apprentices had won their awards was really moving and it was clear the ceremony and individual recognition meant so much to not only the apprentice and employer, but to parents and family members too.”

Guests enjoyed a three-course meal in the critically acclaimed City Bistro restaurant, prepared and served by the college’s professional cookery and hospitality students.

EPNE is one of the largest providers of post-16 education in the region and is committed to partnering with employers to deliver material impact for business and apprentices.

As well as celebrating the success of so many apprentices, locally based companies Sunderland Care and Support and Canford Audio received Employer Recognition Awards to acknowledge their dedication to skills training and development.

Canford Audio, a local designer and manufacturer of audio equipment with a global reach, are champions of apprenticeships.

They appreciate the benefits that apprentices can bring to an organisation and they want to support young people into work, demonstrated by the fact that over the last three years they have employed 8 apprentices, all of whom have been trained through the College.

Beth Routledge, HR Manager at Canford said: “We were over the moon to receive the SME Employer Award at the ceremony – since our inception, we have always championed apprentices and the value that they can add to our business. We’ve had over 100 apprentices over the years, and many go on to have long careers here, including our CEO who started as an apprentice just over twenty years ago.

“All our apprentices are rewarded with above national apprenticeship pay rates; and are empowered to develop themselves as much as possible during their time here. Each and every one of our apprentices is an asset to our business.

Sunderland Care and Support has been a long-standing partner of the College, working closely together for more than 10 years.

They are a great supporter of the College, offering work placement opportunities to students, attending careers fairs events and giving class talks to students throughout the year.

Sarah Morgan, Business Manager at Sunderland Care and Support said: “As a large social care provider, we recognise the value of our apprentices and understand the real difference they make to the workplace through their hard work and dedication to learning. Our apprentices consistently demonstrate their growing skills and talent and are an inherent part of our future workforce.

“We are extremely proud of our apprenticeship programme, not only to showcase and celebrate the positive impact of apprenticeships, but to also highlight the exciting opportunities available to people within our organisation and the care sector as a whole.

“Winning the award was an amazing accolade and we look forward to continuing to develop the extremely positive partnership we have with the college while supporting new apprentices with their career pathways within Sunderland Care and Support.”