Nominations are now open for the 2019 Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards - and two new categories have been added.

Now in its fifth year, hosts Truro and Penwith College are again on the hunt for both apprentices and employers giving outstanding achievement and commitment to apprenticeships.

Nominations have now opened via truro-penwith.ac.uk/CAA.

Any learner or employer involved in apprenticeship training in Cornwall is eligible to be nominated, regardless of the college or training provider delivering their training, provided they are still an apprentice or completed their course after June 1, 2018.

This year’s awards sees the addition of two new categories. The new Land-based Apprentice of the Year Award offers a dedicated category for learners working in agricultural or horticultural roles.

The Beacon Award for Inclusive Apprenticeship Recruitment will also be awarded to employers for the first time in 2019.

Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Learning Enterprise Partnership (CIoS LEP) is sponsoring the award and in line with its UK first ‘Beacon Project’ has written the assessment criteria, and will be judging the category that aims to reward businesses already going above and beyond to support apprentices with disabilities and or long term health conditions.

The nomination process requires one 500-word explanation of why the apprentice or employer should win. From these 51 nominees will be shortlisted following the closing date on September 9.

A panel of judges made up of employers across Cornwall will decide who will be awarded apprentice or employer of the year in each of the 27 categories at the awards on November 15.

A public vote will return in September to help determine Cornwall’s 2019 Apprentice Achiever of the Year.

David Walrond, principal of Truro and Penwith College, said: “Apprenticeships are a key part of Cornwall’s economic strategy to provide a skilled workforce and sustainable, high quality employment and careers.

"We know that in order for apprenticeships to really deliver economically for Cornwall they have to be of the highest quality.

"The awards present a perfect opportunity to recognise quality, and to really celebrate countywide success in apprenticeship training and the great contributions of learners and their employers to Cornwall’s economic prospects.”

Nominations for the awards are being accepted via the Truro and Penwith College website truro-penwith.ac.uk/CAA or email nominations@truro-penwith.ac.uk for guidance.