THE best apprentices, employers and mentors have been shortlisted for the 2025 Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards – and your vote counts.

Inspirational personal stories have been received across 18 award categories from employers and training providers throughout Cornwall.

A public online vote is now open to help decide the winner of the ever-popular Achiever of the Year category, recognising apprentices who have overcome personal challenge and adversity.

Chef apprentice Piers Smith from Fowey has a hearing impediment and learning needs that give him a unique outlook on life. The victim of school bullying, he was worried about stepping back into education and his first day at college was the first time he’d left Fowey on his own. He has since delivered an increase in profit for his employer and raised over £1,000 for charity.

Cheryl Wright, from Penzance, is a mature marketing apprentice and a mother-of-four who has overcome many challenges, including facing eviction from her home, navigating two house moves and breaking her hand alongside completing her final portfolio work. She has filled a critical gap in her employer’s marketing to raise the profile of adult social care jobs in Cornwall.

Hospitality apprentice Toby Phillips, from Wadebridge, has committed a lot of energy and focus to succeed while overcoming personal challenges. He has progressed from entry-level tasks at work to running his own section of the restaurant in Rock and training new team members, as well as managing the workload of English and maths qualifications.

This year’s Apprentice of the Year was James Angliss, a degree-level Chartered Surveyor apprentice who was also named Construction and Trade Occupations Apprentice of the Year for his exceptional success following a life-changing diagnosis of Inflammatory bowel disease. He went on to achieve two promotions, project-managing a multi-million-pound breast screening equipment replacement programme at the Royal Cornwall Hospital. “Apprenticeships are a great pathway, and I’ve benefited a great deal out of it,” he said.

This year’s awards have seen the biggest-ever response, with more than 140 nominations across 18 categories including Nursing & Clinical, and Healthcare & Early Years to reflect the recent innovation and growth in these sectors.

The ceremony will take place at Eden Project on February 7, presented by Neil and Saffy from Hits Radio Cornwall’s Breakfast Show. This is the second year Eden has hosted the event, which outgrew its traditional college venue with over 200 in attendance earlier this year.

Martin Tucker, principal at Truro and Penwith College, said: “For apprenticeships to deliver economically, they need to be of the highest quality. The awards present a perfect opportunity to recognise that quality, and we look forward to a very enjoyable evening celebrating all the talent that exists across Cornwall’s apprenticeship provision.”

Voting closes on November 20: www.truro-penwith.ac.uk/cornwall-apprenticeship-awards/public-vote