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Each year the housing group’s talented construction trainees are celebrated at these prestigious awards.

The apprentices come from a range of different trades including joinery, plumbing, bricklaying, plastering and electrical work. Each one follows a high quality structured training programme which combines college-based training with on the job learning working alongside Incommunities’  experienced trades people.

Incommunities’ award winning apprenticeship programme draws its recruits from across communities and around one in five are female. The apprentices range from 17 to 46 year of age including school leavers and men and women looking to build new careers.

This year for the first time the apprentice of the year awards were based on an employee voting system. Trades people, managers and staff in Incommunities buildingservices, the housing group’s repairs service and propertysolutions service, who work on refurbishment schemes, voted for the apprentices.

The following are category award winners for 2010:-

Dawn Ayres (plumber)         - Peer Award (voted by fellow Incommunities apprentices)

Jordan Steadman                 - Trades Award (Electrical)

Lindsey Raynor (electrician) - Outstanding New Apprentice (from those recruited in Sept 2009)

Michael Parker (joiner)          -  The Graham Watson Special Achievement Award (awarded to a fully qualified Incommunities operative and former apprentice). This award is made in recognition of a former Incommunities colleague who sadly died in 2009.

Jim Crowther                          - Mentoring Award (made to a qualified trades person who has supported an apprentice through their training)

Lisa Kaye was named overall Incommunities Apprentice of the Year winner.

Each apprentice category award winner will receive a certificate and shopping vouchers kindly donated by the event sponsors. The overall winner will also receive an engraved shield.

The event and prizes have been kindly sponsored by Broadford Plant & Tool Hire; City Electrical Factors; Howdens Joinery; Hill McGlynn Recruitment, Kalcrest Ltd Site Services, Magnet Trade, Newey & Eyre Electrical Distributors, PTS – Plumbing Trade Supplies and the Wolseley Group - Plumb Center.

Delroy Beverley, Director of Incommunities – propertysolutions said: “These awards recognise the excellent application, skills and team work shown by our apprentices. Attributes that they have demonstrated both on site working alongside qualified trades people and during their college based training.

“These awards are a testament to the hard work and commitment of our apprentices and staff and just go to show what a talented group they are. The awards reflect the innovative approach taken by Incommunities and the senior management team in delivering our apprentice programme and encouraging everyone involved to fulfil their promise.

“The introduction of an employee voting system has given colleagues and staff a ‘big say’ in the awards themselves and shows the significant value they place on the apprentices’ contribution.”

Greg Robinson, Director of Incommunities - buildingservices said: “I would like to congratulate all our award winners and those that have been highly commended. They can be rightly proud of their achievements and their part in our award winning apprenticeship programme.

“Our apprenticeship programme lies at the heart of our vision to be an employer of 1st choice and our commitment to investing in a diverse and highly skilled workforce. Every one of the team is playing their part in our multi million pound maintenance and modernisation programme.”