York St John student wins Apprentice of the Year award

York St John University student Debbie Bullock has won Apprentice of the Year in the York Press BusinessIQ Awards.

Debbie Bullock, Wellbeing Lead at Aviva, completed a Chartered Management Degree Apprenticeship at York St John University. She won her award at a glittering ceremony held at York Racecourse on Thursday 30 November.

The awards showcase the best of business in York and North Yorkshire and for more than 30 years have established a benchmark of entrepreneurial excellence in the region.

York St John was a sponsor of the Socially Responsible Business of the Year award which went to Home Instead York. The growing business provides home-based care services to the elderly, but also has other initiatives such as a companionship café, to help elderly people get online. York hotelier Sarah Czarnecki, who was appointed Director of the Business Clinic at York St John in November 2023, also won Personality of the Year. 

Reacting to the win, Debbie said: “Amazing to win and highlight the fact that apprenticeships are for people of all ages, and at all levels. Although daunted at first, I really enjoyed my time at York St John and it reignited a love of learning – learning really is for life.

“I’d like to thank Aviva, lecturers, classmates and workplace advisers at York St John, and my family. It was certainly a very proud moment to attend the University degree ceremony at York Minster watched by my parents, husband and children.”

Debbie now hopes to undertake a Level 7 Leadership Apprenticeship, with Master’s degree, next year.

In June 2023 York St John University was awarded the prestigious title of Training Provider of the Year at the North Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards.

York St John has been offering degree apprenticeships since 2018. The University works closely with employers to co-design apprenticeship programmes and delivery models to ensure they fit industry needs. Apprentices get cutting-edge and relevant training during a work-based degree apprenticeship, typically working full-time and studying part-time either at the University’s York or London campus.

The University is the training provider of choice to over 140 employers, including the Office for National Statistics, local authorities and NHS trusts, Unilever, E.ON, DRAX, Ocado and the BBC. York St John currently offers a Senior Leaders Degree Apprenticeship, Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship, Data Science Degree Apprenticeship, Project Management Degree Apprenticeship, Laboratory Science Degree Apprenticeship, Healthcare Science Practitioner Degree Apprenticeship, and Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship.

Find out more about Degree Apprenticeships at York St John University.

Photo credit: www.dharrisonyorkphotos.smugmug.com