The winner of the Microsoft Apprentice of the Year awards has been chosen from thousands of apprentices and Microsoft partners.
David Robertson (pictured centre), from Worthing, was crowned winner of the Microsoft Apprentice of the Year, which took place recently at the House of Commons. Chayenne Brown (pictured left), from Haringey, and Charlie Gilbert (pictured right), from Yeovil, were named as runners-up.
In their inaugural year, the awards aim to recognise outstanding efforts and achievements of Microsoft partners in developing young people’s workplace skills and experience.
"I'm really happy and proud to have won such a prestigious award from a huge company like Microsoft," said Robertson. "I have really enjoyed my time at Cloud9 so far, and this is extra encouragement to keep putting my all into this job.
“The Microsoft Apprenticeship with QA Apprenticeships has helped me enormously in developing my IT skills and given me a great platform to succeed in my career."
Two QA Apprenticeships employers, Perspicuity and Maginus Software, were also given honourable mentions in the Microsoft Apprentice Employer of the Year award.
The minister of state for employment, Chris Grayling, attended the awards ceremony to congratulate all of the nominees.
Employer and employee benefits
QA Apprenticeships' director Ben Pike congratulated its apprentices and employers for making such a success of their apprenticeship schemes and on these great achievements.
"We are thrilled that they are seeing the mutual benefits that apprenticeships offer for all parties involved," he said. “The partner apprenticeship programme we have developed with Microsoft is an effective, low-risk way to get young people into work, and these awards are proof of the success it can deliver."
The Microsoft awards are part of the vendor’s Britain Works campaign, which is a three-year commitment to get 500,000 people into jobs by the end of 2012. The company has so far helped 420,000 people across the UK find employment.
“Microsoft is delighted to recognise and celebrate all the nominees’ dedication and hard work, as well as the effort and support provided by the employers which deliver this apprentice scheme," said Scott Dodds, acting general manager at Microsoft UK.
“We recognise the important role that businesses such as Microsoft can play in helping young people secure the skills they need to prosper and help the British economy grow. That is why we developed the Microsoft Partner Apprenticeship, as part of the Britain Works programme, to help young people gain IT skills and employment," he added.
"Particular congratulations must go to David for winning Apprentice of the Year. David’s efforts throughout his apprenticeship make him a worthy winner and a fantastic example to young people,” said Dodds.
