Murphy launches 2025 Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Awards

Economy Minister Conor Murphy today launched the 2025 Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Awards.

Joanne McCubbin, Higher Level Apprentice of the Year 2024; Alison Currie, InterTradeIreland and member of the judging panel; Economy Minister Conor Murphy; Andrew Smyth, Apprentice of the Year 2024; and Sarah Travers, MC for the NI Apprenticeship Awards

The Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Awards recognise apprentices, their mentors, employers and training organisations who have demonstrated exceptional progress as well as personal achievement and commitment, and will culminate in a special awards ceremony on Wednesday 26 March 2025.

Encouraging applications, the Minister said:

“Apprenticeships are a cornerstone of our economic strategy. They provide invaluable opportunities for people of all ages, from young people starting out on their career to those who wish to retrain or return to the workforce. They also provide employers with the pipeline of talented people they need to grow their business and be competitive.

“These Apprenticeship Awards are a fantastic platform upon which the many outstanding achievements of our apprentices, employers and training providers can be rightly recognised and publicly celebrated. The awards celebrate the vital role apprenticeships play in building a prosperous future for all.

“I therefore encourage everyone involved with apprenticeships to participate in this year’s awards. Your stories of success can inspire others to embark on this rewarding career path.”

Alison Currie, Director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, InterTradeIreland, and one of this year’s judging panel, said:

“I am delighted to once again support the NI Apprenticeship Awards. Apprenticeship programmes offer tangible benefits to both businesses and apprentices and ultimately create more and better jobs that support economic growth across the island.

“It is important to celebrate this partnership between employers and their training providers, as well as the value, hard work and dedication of the mentors and apprentices. I look forward to meeting all our finalists as they get the recognition they deserve for their exceptional progress and personal achievements.”

There are eight award categories for 2025:

• Apprentice of the Year (Levels 2-3)
• Higher Level Apprentice of the Year (Level 4+)
• Public Sector Apprentice
• Large Employer in partnership with a Training Provider (employers with 250 employees and over)
• SME in partnership with a Training Provider (employers with fewer than 250 employees)
• Mentor
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Public Sector Employer in partnership with a Training Provider

Applications for the awards are now open. The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Friday 8 November 2024.

More information, including full details on application criteria for each of the awards, along with how to apply, is available on the DfE website. 

Notes to editors: 

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