Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Worcestershire County Council are pleased to announce the 2026 Worcestershire Apprenticeships Awards.
The announcement comes at the conclusion of National Careers Week, a successful week of promoting the various career pathways and options available within Worcestershire, and having delivered a National Apprenticeship Week campaign back in February.
National Careers Week in Worcestershire was focused around delivery of the Worcestershire Skills Expo, formerly known as Worcestershire Skills Show, which brought together over 4,500 students from schools across Worcestershire to meet local, national and international employers from a wide range of industries, as well as connect with local skills, training and education providers.
This followed on from National Apprenticeship Week, in early February, where the Worcestershire Apprenticeships team coordinated a plethora of content across their social media channels to champion the apprenticeship pathway. The activity included, new video case studies, podcasts with apprentices of different levels, myth busting content and a photo campaign with employers & partners who support apprenticeships.
The 2026 Worcestershire Apprenticeships Awards will mark the twelfth year of the annual awards celebration, following on from the 2025 awards which broke the record for the number of entries and finalists.
Apprentices, employers, schools, and training providers in Worcestershire are encouraged to submit their entries or nominations through the online nomination process before the deadline of Friday 17 July 2026.
The 2026 Worcestershire Apprenticeships Awards will honour outstanding achievements in 10 categories over the past year:
Apprentice Awards
- Intermediate Level Apprentice of the Year
- Advanced Level Apprentice of the Year
- Higher Level Apprentice of the Year
- Degree Level Apprentice of the Year
Employer Awards
- Micro/Small Apprenticeship Employer of the Year (< 50 employees)
- Medium Apprenticeship Employer of the Year (50 – 249 employees)
- Large Apprenticeship Employer of the Year (> 250 employees)
Support Awards
- School of the Year
- Training Provider of the Year
- Apprentice Ambassador of the Year
The culmination of the event will see the presentation of two prestigious overall awards: ‘Worcestershire Apprenticeship Employer of the Year’ and ‘Worcestershire Apprentice of the Year’.
New for 2026, the Apprentice Ambassador of the Year category will be focused on celebrating the efforts of members of the Worcestershire Apprenticeships Ambassador Network. Launched in 2025, the Worcestershire Apprenticeships Ambassador Network aims to play a crucial role in promoting apprenticeships, by sharing real stories to highlight the value of apprenticeships to individuals and employers alike.
Gary Woodman, Chief Executive of Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: ” Worcestershire Apprenticeships is all about supporting apprenticeship growth across the county and it is great news to announce the 2026 Worcestershire Apprenticeships Awards to allow us to continue championing the value of apprenticeships. Whether you are an apprentice, an employer, a training provider, one of our schools or an ambassador, I encourage you to enter or nominate, to help us celebrate all those involved with making apprenticeships a success here in Worcestershire.”
Councillor Alan Amos, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Business and Skills at Worcestershire County Council, added: “I am delighted we are able to launch the 2026 Worcestershire Apprenticeships Awards following on from a brilliant National Careers Week and Apprenticeship Week. The apprenticeship community in Worcestershire continues to go from strength to strength and these awards provide the chance for us to recognise those utilising apprenticeships to bring in new talent, upskill existing talent and shape futures, and I am thoroughly looking forward to the awards later this year.”
To nominate individuals or organisations for the Awards before the 17 July deadline, visit the Worcestershire Apprenticeships website at https://worcsapprenticeships.org.uk/worcestershire-apprenticeships-events/annual-apprenticeship-awards/
Stay engaged with the conversation surrounding the Awards by following the #WorcsApprentice hashtag and the @WorcsApprentice accounts on social media platforms.