The BBC's Huw Davies has won Skills Development Partner of the Year at the Department for Education’s National Apprenticeship and Skills Awards 2024.
The award, created by IfATE, celebrates employers who have gone the extra mile to help develop, approve, review and revise apprenticeships and T Levels before they become ready-for-delivery to employers, training providers and future apprentices.
Over the last decade, alongside his day job at the BBC, this skills innovator has volunteered his time to chair several of IfATE’s employer-led trailblazer groups that develop skills products.
Mr Davies has played a vital role in developing innovative apprenticeships and occupational standards, which set out the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for a range of roles, including broadcast engineering, data-driven journalism, data engineering, machine learning and AI data specialists.
He has also supported the development of a T Level in media, broadcast and production, and has previously served on the Apprenticeship Diversity Champions Network.
Jennifer Coupland, chief executive of IfATE, said:
“We are delighted to present this award to Huw. He has shown incredible personal commitment to designing apprenticeships and T Levels, making a huge contribution to future skills training in England. I also want to congratulate our highly commended nominees. They are all inspiring examples of dedicated and knowledgeable employers who give their time freely to make a difference. They are driving up the quality of skills training to support economic growth and help people from all backgrounds get into and succeed in rewarding careers.”
The national ceremony took place on Wednesday 27th November 2024, celebrating 21 years of excellence in apprenticeships.
After receiving the award, Mr Davies said:
“It means a lot to have received recognition for all the hours I’ve put in. Developing apprenticeships and T Levels is crucial for nurturing the next generation of talent, especially in areas like AI. The suite of products I've helped develop, with lots of other dedicated employers, should massively advance tech skills and beyond. It's exciting to think how vital apprenticeships will be for future generations.”
Robert Ramsay Gosling-Kennedy, from marketing and communications consultants Lumi & Lumiere, and Amy Smith, from visual effects specialists Framestore, were highly commended for their entries.
Mr Ramsay Gosling-Kennedy has chaired IfATE trailblazer groups spanning science, business, animal welfare and tattoo artistry. He has worked closely with IfATE and was the vice chair of the Apprenticeship Diversity Champions Network. The judges also recognised his outstanding efforts to increase awareness of apprentices in science with the Royal Society of Biology.
Ms Smith has, through chairing and advising trailblazer groups, developed visual effects apprenticeships and occupational standards for more than a decade. She has also put invaluable work into improving apprenticeship delivery at Framestore. The judges credited her commitment to supporting equity, diversity and inclusion and sustainability through the apprenticeships and technical qualifications she has championed.
For more information and interviews, contact Tabitha Carrington: Tabitha.carrington@education.gov.uk.