A college is celebrating after scooping the coveted UK Apprenticeship Award and being highly commended in the Sustainable Green Initiative Award in the Educate North Awards.
Burnley College, and Themis, its apprenticeship training arm, were praised for its mission to create the ‘workforce of the future’ and its commitment to sustainability at the awards, which attracts entries from the region’s top colleges and universities.
The Educate North Awards celebrate, recognise and share best practice and excellence in the education sector and held their ceremony at the Midland Hotel in Manchester.
The validation from a panel of education experts and industry judges comes after a year of record-breaking results for Burnley College, which saw the highest level of A Level A* and A grades in formal exams, a 100 per cent pass rate in advanced vocational subjects for the 19th consecutive year, and a rapid resurgence in apprenticeships following the pandemic.
Hannah Cutler, head of apprenticeships at Themis at Burnley College, said: “I’m so proud of every apprentice, every trainer, every employer, and every member of staff in our team here at Themis.
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“What makes this award so special is because it belongs to all of us. We pride ourselves on listening to the learner voice and working closely alongside industry to create the perfect environment to ‘build futures and change lives.’
“We strive to create individuals who will shape society and influence every aspect of industry.
“When our passion is recognised at such a high level it’s validation that we’re doing the right thing and it inspires us to work harder, work smarter, and build bigger and better in the future.
“And, of course, we would not have won these Educate North Awards without the support of our outstanding apprentices. They have the passion, the innovation, the imagination and the skills to help us achieve the exceptional.”
READ MORE: Neil Burrows from Burnley College shortlisted for award
Creating the workforce of the future is something which resonates throughout Burnley College and ensuring industry can continue long into the future long into the future has been a driving force for huge investment and innovation at the college’s £110m campus.
The college’s low carbon hub, a high-tech area of the campus designed for employers and learners to discover the latest technology to help them towards a Net Zero carbon target, was highly commended in the Sustainable Green Initiative Award.
Neil Burrows, director of skills and innovation at Burnley College, said: “We know our learners are committed to creating a sustainable future and our partners in industry are also passionate about adopting new technologies to increase sustainability in every area of their businesses.
“The Low Carbon Hub is designed specifically to make that transition as simple as possible.
“We believe passionately in sharing best practice and make great industry connections so everyone can benefit from sustainable technologies.
“We’re honoured to have the work of Burnley College and our partners recognised by such a prestigious body.”
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