Apprentice Aimee Bond, who attends Strode College in Street, has been recognised as Advanced Apprentice of the Year and Apprentice Champion at the Grow Somerset Apprenticeship Awards.

Strode College has been celebrating the achievement of their apprentices during National Apprenticeship Week 2020.

As part of this in particular, Strode did extremely well at the Grow Somerset Apprenticeship Awards held in Taunton, picking up a number of awards - two for employers that the college works with, as well as one of their childcare apprentices who won two awards on the night.

The Grow Somerset Apprenticeship Awards are held to celebrate all that is great about apprenticeships and employers who continually strive for excellence, and is hosted by the Grow Somerset Talent Group.

The Grow Somerset Talent Group was formed ten years ago when the initial aim was to gain 100 apprenticeship placements in just 100 days.

With growing success year on year the group gained regional recognition and decided that they would celebrate this success during National Apprenticeship Week.

These awards not only showcased the success of individual apprentices across Somerset, but also the great work of employers and the opportunities they provide.

The whole event was organised by the chair of Grow Somerset Talent, Kelly Cave, who is also work-based sector lead for childcare apprenticeships at Strode College.

Kelly, as well as childcare apprenticeship assessor Claire Donald, both attended the event with advanced childcare apprentice Aimee Bond, who managed to scoop two awards for Advanced Apprentice of the Year as well as Apprentice Champion.

Aimee has recently completed her Advanced Apprenticeship in Working with Children and Young People (social care) at Somerset County Council, within the leaving care team, where her role involved supporting young people to gain the independent skills they require to leave the care system.

The Apprentice Champion of the Year is awarded to an apprentice who has demonstrated extraordinary aptitude in their line of work or has made a considerable contribution to their employer's success.

In her speech on the night, Aimee said: "This time 18 months ago I was making excuse after excuse about not going to college.

"I was getting behind on my coursework and wasn't seeing any progress. I was then put with the perfect group, and tutors that really brought out a different person in me and taught me to be myself.

"So over the last year, I've learnt that I can do better by speaking my assignments rather than writing them, and I learnt a lot more by this method.

"I've never really travelled. I used to catch a train to Taunton and absolutely hated it because of my really bad anxiety.

"My job has given me the opportunity to overcome this, as I have travelled to Birmingham, Leeds, and London over the past six months.

"I've also had the opportunity to give speeches in front of hundreds of people including the Children's Minister and other really important people, which is my biggest achievement.

"Now I'm at the end of my apprenticeship, I've had more job opportunities biting my arm off than I've known what to do with. I have always been the let down and someone that's been overlooked my whole life.

"But thanks to my amazing assessor Claire, Kelly, my amazing college group, and the opportunities my apprenticeship has brought me, I stand here today as Aimee Bond, the girl that everyone wants a piece of. I couldn't be more proud of myself."

Claire Donald, her assessor, said: "When Aimee first began her qualification she suffered from severe anxiety and it was a challenge to encourage her to attend college.

"She has truly blossomed over time and is now representing the Somerset Leaving Care Team at national events.

"She now has the confidence to share this practice within strategy meetings with key people at Somerset County Council, triggering key policy and procedure change.

"Aimee thrives within the classroom and has even lead a taught session on the importance of attachment on early brain development, supporting her fellow students with this subject.

"We are extremely proud of Aimee and for her to be recognised for not only Advanced Apprentice of the Year, but also Apprentice Champion is a testament to all of her hard work and in particular her growth as an individual into a strong independent woman who would be a valuable asset to any business."

Two of the many employers that Strode College works with, also in the childcare sector, were also recognised on the night in other award categories for their provision of apprenticeships.

These were:

St Benedict's Junior School, Glastonbury - Winner of the Small Employer of the Year

Ditcheat Primary School, Ditcheat - Finalist in the Medium Employer of the Year category

Strode College has 485 students undertaking apprenticeships, and is working with 160 businesses to recruit 500 new apprentices for job vacancies across six sectors including IT, hair and beauty, hospitality, business and administration, engineering, health and social care and childcare.

National Apprenticeship Week, co-ordinated by the National Apprenticeship Service, is designed to celebrate the positive impact apprenticeships and traineeships have on individuals, businesses and the economy.

The theme for this year's National Apprenticeship Week has been Look Beyond, and celebrates the diversity in apprenticeships today.

Strode College is a member of the Association of Colleges which wants to see funding set aside to promote access to and raise the quality of apprenticeships and improve the diversity of apprentices.