On the 24th-25th of May 2023 apprentices from across Essex County Council attended the Local Government Apprentice of the Year awards. They were joined by their colleagues Jenna Horner, who was a development lead on the day, and Leah Bond who was a judge on the Communications Panel.
The Local Government Apprentice of the Year is a joint partnership event between the Local Government Association (LGA), East of England LGA and South West Councils.
In this online event, 130 participants competed to become the Local Government Apprentice of the Year 2023. Councils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are encouraged to send any of their level 2 and 3 apprentices, to take part in this truly inspiring celebration of apprenticeship talent. Working in virtual teams to experience opportunities, risks and challenges involved in delivering successful local government services, apprentices are put to the test before one is crowned as the Local Government Apprentice of the Year.
The Local Government Apprentice of the Year Award fosters a sense of pride within the local community. It demonstrates the commitment of local authorities who invest in young talent and create opportunities for growth, ultimately building stronger, more resilient communities.
Hear from the ECC apprentices:
Evie O’Connor, Business and Administration Apprentice, ACL
“The Apprentice of the Year Awards was a such a unique experience; I enjoyed it thoroughly and it was so interesting to meet all the different people that were also participating in the awards and seeing their different point of views on all the activities. I really recommend participating in these events as it pushed me outside my comfort zone and gave me much more confidence in myself!”
Brogan Joy, Recruitment Consultant Apprentice, Entry To Work
“Before taking part in the LGA Apprentice of the Year event I was apprehensive as I had no idea what to expect of the tasks involved and I had never taken part in anything similar before. My fears were quickly alleviated however as everyone I interacted with was so welcoming, from my team mates to the development leads and the event organisers. I thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the activities alongside my team and came to realise that I’m more skilled at using Canva than I realised!
I would encourage any ECC apprentice to participate in future LGA apprentice events as a way to connect with other apprentices, develop their skills, and improve their confidence.”
Jenna Horner – Recruitment Consultant, Entry to Work
“It was a great opportunity to be involved with such a unique event. As a Development Lead I was able to observe motivated and talented local government apprentices working collaboratively to achieve challenging tasks. The Apprentices did themselves proud and it was a joy to watch them approach the day with such a great attitude and watch their confidence grow as they progressed through the day; they were all very supportive of each other – it was a really fun day! Well done to all involved.”
Leah Bond – Sustainable Growth Communications Officer, Sustainable Growth
“It was a joy to be a judge on the Communications Panel for the LGA Apprenticeship of the Year award. I was thoroughly impressed by the apprentices’ hard work and the sheer volume of outputs they managed to achieve within the set timeframe.
I enjoyed meeting communications colleagues from across the country and learned a thing or two myself – you really should never stop learning!
I hope the participants enjoyed the competition as much as I did and took away useful feedback and reflections for their future careers.”
Here at Essex County Council, we encourage the recruitment of apprentices and have offered opportunities from Business and Administration Apprentice to Trainee Health and Safety Consultant. To find out more about working for ECC please visit our website: https://workingforessex.com
Register now to be part of our new Essex Talent Community.
