York College has been hailed as the “best” deliverer of apprenticeships in the country by Steven Boyes – the recently-retired former Chief Operating Officer of the UK’s largest residential property developer Barratt Redrow.
Mr Boyes made the declaration during the college’s annual Construction Awards at York Sports Club.
A former York College student, himself, Mr Boyes was also able to congratulate a Barratt Redrow apprentice, Luke Passingham, who won one of the two main prizes on the evening – the Principal’s Award.
Bricklaying student Tide Busby, meanwhile, was presented with the Governors’ Award.
As guest speaker, Mr Boyes championed Barratt’s working partnership with York College that stretches back more than 50 years.
He also hailed the success of Barratt Redrow’s accelerated bricklaying and site carpentry apprenticeship programmes, which have resulted in an 81% achievement rate, compared to a national average of 65% since being launched in conjunction with the college in 2021.
The fast-track initiative has also seen the apprenticeship qualification period reduced from two years to 18 months.
Mr Boyes said:
I feel very humbled standing in front of so many outstanding individuals who have excelled in their studies and feel very envious of the exciting futures ahead of you in the construction industry. I have very positive memories of my time at York College.
It was hard work, but the lecturers were excellent and supportive, and I really enjoyed learning. I stayed in touch with some of those great lecturers afterwards, which says a lot about the impact they had.
Indeed, they continued to provide me with a steady flow of promising students, looking for careers in housebuilding and I am pleased to say I recruited a number who have had excellent careers in the industry. In 2021, we entered into the accelerated apprenticeship partnership because York College is the best in the country at delivering apprenticeships.
With the excellent teaching and support that York College gives our apprentices, around a quarter have passed with a Distinction grade. That is an enormous credit to both the apprentices and York College and underlines the success of our partnership.
We currently have 56 bricklaying and 43 carpentry apprentices at the college and, overall, 128 apprentices have completed the fast-track programme.
Mr Boyes had earlier enjoyed a tour of the college’s Sim Balk Lane campus, pausing for a picture in front of the York Guild of Building Award winners board that bears his name from 1981 during his time as a HNC in Building Construction student, specialising in Quantity Surveying.
Prize winners from across the college’s vocational, apprenticeship, T Level and University Centre courses were joined by their family, tutors, employers and award sponsors to celebrate their achievements.
In addition to the evening’s two main prizes, other awards were presented to:
- York Guild of Building Silver Award: Nicholas Beck;
- York Guild of Building Bronze Award: Connor Brown; Felix Johnston Award: Madi Smith;
- Barratt Redrow Steven Boyes Award: George Bell.
- Brickwork Apprentice of the Year: Dylan Roberts; Carpentry & Joinery Apprentice of the Year: Luke Passingham;
- Painting & Decorating Apprentice of the Year: Connor Brown;
- Stonemasonry Apprentice of the Year: Nicholas Beck;
- Plumbing Apprentice of the Year: Jacob Hewitt-Jones;
- Electrical Apprentice of the Year: Tom Wright;
- Professional & Technical Apprentice of the Year: George Bell.
- Brickwork Full-Time Student of the Year: Tide Busby; Carpentry & Joinery Full-Time Student of the Year: Flynn Barker;
- Painting & Decorating Full-Time Student of the Year: Hamam Mustafa;
- Plumbing Full-Time Student of the Year: Archie Barker; Electrical Full-Time Student of the Year: Oliver Augustyniak;
- Professional & Technical Full-Time Student of the Year: Rhys Ryan.
