Shortlist announced and public vote opens for 10-year anniversary Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards

After hundreds of nominations were submitted, Cornwall’s very best apprentices, apprenticeship employers and mentors have been shortlisted to attend the 10-year anniversary Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards on 06 February

Cornwall’s very best apprentices, employers and mentors have been announced with the publication of the 2026 Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards shortlist.

The shortlist announcement comes after Truro and Penwith College’s landmark tenth anniversary Awards evening received hundreds of nominations across the 15 employer, mentor and apprentice categories.

38 nominees have been shortlisted from training providers across Cornwall and will be recognised as the Awards celebrates a decade of apprenticeship excellence at its Tin Anniversary event at the Eden Project on Friday 06 February.

The ever-popular public vote for the Achiever of the Year category returns, providing members of the public with the opportunity to vote for their winner. The category recognises learners who have overcome personal challenge or adversity to successfully complete their apprenticeship training and make valuable contributions to their employer.

The inspirational stories of the 2026 Achiever of the Year nominees; Tamsin Allen, Connor Barkle and Carl Burt can be found at; www.truro-penwith.ac.uk/public-vote where members of the public can vote for their winner – voting closes on 14 November.

Project Management Apprentice Tamsin started her apprenticeship after 13 years in a clinical role at Royal Cornwall Hospital’s NHS Trust when she was forced to change career after being diagnosed with a connective tissue disease. Her determination has seen her flourish, leading a pioneering Silent Hospital Pilot Project that has transformed the postnatal ward experience and made annual savings of £75,000.

At just 20 years old, Apprentice Bricklayer Connor is living independently with his partner and young daughter, balancing family life with full-time work and study. Connor faces daily challenges due to a sight impairment that he refuses to let limit him, developing precise methods of planning, measuring and sequencing to produce consistently accurate and professional brickwork for his employer Samuel Winn Construction.

Commis Chef Apprentice Carl initially struggled to complete two apprenticeships after leaving school and was at one point considered unsuitable for further training. Despite suffering a serious motorcycle accident that left him unable to work for three-months, personal hardships, profound loss and emotional challenges during his third apprenticeship, Carl has excelled, now running his own section of the kitchen, demonstrating empathy, positivity and calm leadership under pressure at St Austell Brewery.

The brand-new Rising Star category has been added to the 10-year anniversary event for the very first time to give dedicated recognition to apprentices aged 21 and under who have made exceptional contributions to their employer and commitment to their studies as they start their quality career journey.

The new category joins the coveted Achiever of the Year and Cornwall’s Apprentice of the Year as one that is expected to be hotly contested amongst apprenticeship learners across Cornwall. The Academic Mentor and Workplace Mentor of the Year awards, added in 2024, return again in 2026 having proved hugely popular along with the ever-present Large and SME Employer of the Year Awards.

Oliver Elwell-Deighton from TouchByte, scooped the title of Cornwall’s Apprentice of the Year in 2025 along with Digital & IT Apprentice of the Year, having played a leading role in developing new software features for his employer, representing TouchByte internationally, pitching products in the Netherlands, USA and Dubai to audiences of up to 400 people.

At the 2025 Awards Oliver said: “It’s a massive privilege to have been selected as Cornwall’s Apprentice of the Year 2025 amongst such a range of skilled people. The apprenticeship route has been fantastic for me, it’s given me a way into the industry that I don’t think I’d have been able to get anywhere else”.

Neil Caddy will return to present the 2026 Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards for his tenth year having been involved in all previous nine events. Neil will be joined by co-presenter, Truro and Penwith College Governor and Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Cornwall, Daphne Skinnard. Neil and Daphne will take the audience through the inspirational stories of the nominees on 06 February with the full shortlist available at www.truro-penwith.ac.uk/caa. (See Boxout 1)

Local and national businesses have come out in force to support the event (see Boxout 2) with Headline sponsors Hertzian joined by Award Partners; Cormac, Cornwall Manufacturers Group, Watson-Marlow and Media Partners Business Cornwall with Imerys Minerals returning to sponsor the sparkling trophies alongside a host of other local and national sponsors. Experts from these sponsors will make up the judging panel, with sponsors ineligible to judge any categories where their employees have been nominated.

Martin Tucker, Principal at Truro and Penwith College, commented; “We are delighted to announce the shortlist for the very special ten-year anniversary Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards. The College is incredibly proud of the Awards, its growth over the last decade and the high regard in which it is held by employers and learners across the county.

“For apprenticeships to deliver economically they need to be of the highest quality. The Awards presents a perfect opportunity to recognise that quality and we look forward to a very enjoyable evening celebrating all the talent that exists across the apprenticeship provision in the county, alongside the event’s grand ten-year Tin Anniversary on 06 February”.

Anyone seeking advice on apprenticeship training programmes, or for opportunities to get involved in the Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards should contact the Truro and Penwith College Apprenticeship team on 01872 305500 or email apprenticeships@truro-penwith.ac.uk.

For more information about the 2026 Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards visit www.truro-penwith.ac.uk/caa.