A special ceremony has taken place to celebrate the work of apprentices from Nottingham City Homes (NCH), who came second in the national final of the Brathay Apprentice Challenge 2017.
A civic reception was held at the Council House, Nottingham, to mark the team’s fantastic achievement, and to thank everyone involved.
Out of more than 650 apprentices from across 75 organisations representing the country’s leading apprentice employers, training providers and colleges, NCH proudly took second place at this year’s national Brathay Apprentice Challenge final in Lake Windermere.
The team faced tough competition in the final in the shape of huge national companies, including JCB, IBM, Redrow Homes and Severn Trent Water.
As part of the five month Challenge, the Nottingham City Homes team of apprentices organised a community project involving renovating a toy library.
The Nottingham City Homes team also conducted 20 visits to schools and youth groups to talk about the benefits of apprenticeships, and hosted five business events to talk to potential employers about offering apprenticeships.
Joint team leader and plumbing apprentice, Matthew Gustard, said on winning the Challenge: “Wow! What a five months it’s been. We’ve worked so hard as a group, and becoming the top apprenticeship team in the country couldn’t have been a better result for us. The work in our local community was already rewarding enough, but to take home the national title is truly awesome.
“We want to make sure our Brathay Apprentice Challenge leaves its own legacy. It already has in developing us as a team and individuals, but I hope we’ve also left a legacy in our local communities, giving them the springboard to progress with their projects.”
Nick Murphy, Chief Executive of Nottingham City Homes, congratulated the apprentices and explained why it was so important to celebrate their achievements. Nick said: “We couldn’t be more proud of our Brathay Apprentice Challenge team. They worked so hard and committed so much of their time to achieving this fantastic result, while supporting the local community and spreading the word about apprenticeships. Well done Team Nottingham City Homes!”
