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York St John continues to excel in Degree Apprenticeships following North Yorkshire awards

Published: 18 June 2024

  •   Featured
  •   Awards
A group of people on a stage celebrating their awards

North Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards 2024

York St John University won two awards at the North Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards 2024, with a number of other commendations for its provision of Degree Apprenticeships.

Susie Hoyland, Apprenticeship Delivery and Operations Manager at York St John, won Mentor of the Year, awarded to individuals who have encouraged and inspired apprentices throughout their training programme.

Alexa Harkins, a student on York St John’s Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship course, won Health & Public Service Apprentice of the Year, while balancing the responsibilities of academic skills with her duties as working as a response officer with Humberside Police.

Winners of the North Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards 2024 were announced at a special ceremony at the Radisson Hotel in York on Thursday 13 June. The awards are an annual celebration of apprenticeship achievement in the North of England – which last year saw York St John University crowned Training Provider of the Year at the inaugural awards ceremony.

Other York St John successes at this year’s event included:  

  • The University being highly commended in the Apprenticeship Provider of the Year category
  • Amy Robinson, Degree Apprenticeships Compliance Officer at York St John, who was highly commended in the Higher Apprentice of the Year Award category for her exceptional work and distinction in her Level 4 Compliance Apprenticeship
  • David Connelly, Lead Mechanical Engineer at Drax Power Station, and a student on York St John’s Senior Leadership Apprenticeship Programme, who was highly commended in the Engineering Apprentice of the Year category
  • Vicki Wainwright, Project Specialist at Drax Group, a student on the University’s Project Management Programme and finalist in the category of Degree Apprentice of the Year. 

Thomas Burton, Head of Apprenticeship Delivery at York St John University, said the awards reflected the hard work and dedication of numerous teams, schools, mentors, and partners at the University.

“York St John prides itself on delivering applied, industry-led teaching and learning through its degree apprenticeship programmes, and so it is wonderful to continue to be recognised for this,” said Thomas.

“For myself, and the Apprenticeship team here, these successes are both humbling and proud achievements and continue to reflect the collective efforts of our University to ensure our provision has the greatest impact.”

With regards to Susie Hoyland’s win of Mentor of the Year Award, Thomas said that her dedication and support clearly transcended the conventional mentorship role.

“Susie’s relationship with her mentees is profound; she serves not only as their mentor, but also as a trusted guide and advocate for their development,” said Thomas.

“She invests considerable time and effort into nurturing their growth and fostering their success. She understands that mentorship is more than just providing guidance - it is about inspiring, encouraging, and empowering individuals to reach their full potential.” 

In response Susie said: 

“I am over the moon at receiving this recognition. Whilst this is an individual award, I think it’s a testament to the strength of the apprenticeship provision at York St John and the culture of commitment to our apprentices. Our apprentices are lucky to have the dedication of our Work Based Learning Tutors and it’s been a pleasure to lead that team over the past 18 months.”

Commenting on Alexa Harkins’ award for Health & Public Service Apprentice of the Year, Thomas stated that she had exhibited an unwavering commitment to her role as a police apprentice with Humberside Police.

“Despite the demanding nature of her studies, Alexa consistently prioritised her responsibilities as a response officer, actively contributing to the safety and security of her community,” said Thomas.

“Alexa's outstanding performance throughout her apprenticeship did not go unnoticed by her trainers and supervisors. Her ability to effectively communicate with both colleagues and members of the public, particularly in high-pressure situations, demonstrated her natural aptitude for police work.”

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 degree apprenticeships in Senior Leadership, Chartered Management, Data Science, Project Management, Laboratory Science and for Healthcare Science Practitioners, and Police Constables.

In May 2024 York St John’s provision of Degree Apprenticeships was judged as ‘good’ by Ofsted, and in November 2023 student Debbie Bullock won Apprentice of the Year in the York Press BusinessIQ Awards.

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

A full list of award winners can be found on the North Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards event website. 

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