VTCT Excellence Awards 2023 shortlist announced!

2 Mins Read | Published 10 May 2023

We are delighted to announce the shortlist for the inaugural VTCT Excellence Awards. The awards were judged by a host of esteemed judges spanning VTCT, iTEC and Skillsfirst sectors. Celebrating VTCT’s 60th anniversary, the awards aim to recognise our students and partners going above and beyond to demonstrate excellence in vocational education.

Over 500 inspiring nominations were submitted from throughout our sectors and our independent judges were absolutely blown away by all of them. Although they had their work cut out whittling them down to just 34, we are now extremely excited to let you know who they are.

The shortlist

Apprentice of the Year

Amy Nixon (Kleek Apprenticeships)

Katie Bowen (Haha Training Academy)

Maria Snow (Kleek Apprenticeships)

Natasha Bloor (Kleek Apprenticeships)

Student of the Year (sponsored by Wella)

Darren Hopkinson (Rotherham RNN group)

Irfana Kausar (Bedfordshire Beauty Training Academy)

Louis-Ray Skillicorn-Aston (Chelmsford College)

Lucy Lewis (NPTC Group)

Natalia Osovska (White Rose Beauty College – Chesterfield)

Shamalia Samair (Learning Curve Group Wallsend Hair and Beauty Academy)

Tutor / Educator of the Year (sponsored by Pivot Point)

Elizabeth Mackay (Coleg Sir Gar)

Ian Bremner (Leicester College)

Nicola Aviolet (Kleek Apprenticeships)

Noelle Boyle (NWRC)

Vanessa Canning (NWRC)

Independent Training Provider of the Year (Large)

Kids Planet Day Nurseries Training Academy

Kleek Apprenticeships

Learning Curve Group

Westrow House Academy

Independent Training Provider of the Year (Small)

Bedfordshire Beauty Training Academy

CS Beauty Academy – Wrexham

Greenhouse Therapies Ltd

Hair at the Academy

Mac-Ed Training

College of the Year

Cardiff & Vale College

Milton Keynes College

Rotherham College

Suffolk New College

Truro & Penwith College

VTCT Champion of the Year

Carla Hales (Debut Training Academy Limited)

Mandy McMullen (Kleek Apprenticeships)

Mary Pugsley, MBE (Hair at the Academy)

Robert Russell (ZISHI Cornerstone Ltd)

Sarah Artistry

The VTCT Excellence Awards will be held at Milton Keynes College on July 13 2023. Tickets will be available soon, but in the meantime, find out more on our VTCT excellence awards page.