Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards raise curtain on National Apprenticeship Week

Apprentices, their families and colleagues came together on Friday night to celebrate in style and witness a historic milestone as Truro and Penwith College hosted its 10-year Tin Anniversary Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards at the iconic Eden Project.

The 2026 Awards raised the curtain on Cornwall’s National Apprenticeship Week celebrations, recognising the achievements of 38 shortlisted employer, mentor and apprentice nominees following another strong year of nominations across 15 professional categories.

The event was held in partnership with Headline Sponsors Hertzian, Award Partners Cornwall Manufacturers Group, Watson-Marlow and CORMAC, Media Partners Business Cornwall and a range of local and national sponsors.

Opening with a special video message from the UK Skills Minister, the Right Honourable Baroness Smith of Malvern, the landmark anniversary event was attended by special guests and dignitaries from across the country including Cornish MPs, representatives from Skills England, Cornwall Chamber of Commerce and the South West Apprenticeship Ambassador Network.

As the event reached its decade milestone, the audience enjoyed an inspiring look back at the positive impact apprenticeships continue to make across Cornwall’s economy, revisiting the stories of previous winners. A significant new addition for the tenth year was the introduction of the Rising Star Award, sponsored by Cornwall Manufacturers Group, created to recognise apprentices aged 21 and under who have made exceptional early contributions to their sectors.

Ella Bardgett from Cormac was named the first-ever Rising Star, having demonstrated maturity beyond her years by managing complex projects and liaising with planning coordinators independently. Ella also picked up the Construction and Trade Apprentice of the Year award, sponsored by Coastline Housing, for her commitment to sustainability and proactive problem-solving.

The stars of the night were Tamsin Allen, who collected the Apprentice Achiever of the Year Award, sponsored by Watson-Marlow, and Holly Doran, who was presented the coveted title of Cornwall’s Apprentice of the Year 2026 by Headline Sponsors Hertzian.

Tamsin, who also won Digital and IT Apprentice of the Year, sponsored by Cornwall Council, transitioned from a 13-year clinical career to a digital role after being diagnosed with a connective tissue disease. Balancing chronic illness and motherhood, she led a pilot project that reduced patient stays and saved the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust £75,000.

Cornwall’s Apprentice of the Year 2026, Holly Doran, has shown unparalleled dedication to her craft. To avoid a long commute from Plymouth, Holly lived in a self-renovated van, allowing her to submit work months in advance and lead a team in creating a Cornwall Spring Flower Show exhibit that officials stated met the high standards of the Chelsea Flower Show. Holly also completed the Rotary Youth Leadership Award, being voted Gold Leader for an expedition across Dartmoor and was also presented Land-Based Apprentice of the Year by sponsors Cormac.

The Large Apprentice Employer of the Year award, sponsored by Seasalt Cornwall, was won by Cornwall Group, where over 20% of employees are on an apprenticeship journey, resulting in innovations that have cut paper waste by 60%. SME Employer of the Year, sponsored by Eden Project, was won by Hiyield, praised for a "talent pipeline" approach that treats apprentices as full team members with dedicated one-to-one mentoring from day one.

Other category winners included: Academic Mentor of the Year, sponsored by Cornwall Opportunities – Sally Ammirato from Truro and Penwith College; Workplace Mentor of the Year, sponsored by Inn Cornwall – Brian Sharrock from A&P Falmouth; Hospitality Apprentice of the Year, sponsored by St Austell Brewery – Liam Couch from St Austell Brewery; Nursing, Healthcare & Education Apprentice of the Year, Sponsored by Go Cornwall Bus – Dawn Swanston from Cornwall Foundation Trust; Business & Professional Apprentice of the Year, sponsored by Dales Cornwall Van Centre – Fleur Symons from Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust; Hair & Beauty Apprentice of the Year, sponsored by Truro and Penwith College – Sophie Tresidder from Cutting Edge; Engineering, Manufacturing & Automotive Apprentice of the Year, sponsored by Imerys Minerals – Ross Allen from Pall Corporation.

Speaking after the event, Martin Tucker, Principal of Truro and Penwith College, commented: “It’s vitally important we recognise apprenticeships as a key part of Cornwall’s Economic Strategy and the College is incredibly proud to host these Awards on behalf of Cornwall’s training providers and employers.

“The latest data tells us there are nearly 8,000 apprentices training in Cornwall right now, making valuable contributions to workplaces across the county while establishing successful careers.

“For apprenticeships to deliver economically they need to be of the highest quality. The Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards presents the perfect opportunity to recognise that quality. We have thoroughly enjoyed this evening celebrating the event’s 10-year anniversary along with all the talent that exists across all apprenticeship provision in Cornwall.”

In a surprise closing, Neil and Daphne led a round of applause to recognise Martin Tucker’s pending retirement after 41-years of service to education, before he took to the stage for his final closing remarks.

Christopher Weavill, Co-Founder and CEO at Headline Sponsors Hertzian, added: “Hertzian's success is a direct result of our apprenticeship program. Many of our senior leaders began as apprentices, and their journey is proof that investing in local talent builds a stronger, more innovative company. We are proud to be here today because of them."

The Awards were preceded by a three-course dinner prepared by Eden Project chefs and live entertainment that captured a memorable ten-year celebration of apprenticeship excellence across the county, with all guests going home with a commemorative jute bag supplied by sponsors GoJute.