Top apprenticeship award for student

Freya Ward, 22, has been named Intermediate Apprentice of the Year for the South East.

She completed a Level 2 marketing apprenticeship earlier this year while working for Napier Partnership Limited and studying at Chichester College.

The award means she joins 11 other regional winners for national judging in the hope of reaching the national finals, to be held in January.

Freya said: “I’m incredibly proud to have received this award and grateful for the support I received from Napier and Chichester College.

“Because of my apprenticeship, I have an incredible job in a great career while I know a lot of my peers simply aren’t in that position.

“And it’s because of that I want to challenge the stigma that surrounds apprenticeships.

“When I started my apprenticeship, I had lots of misconceptions about apprenticeships and I was almost embarrassed to say I was an apprentice at first, but I soon changed my own opinion and I’m proud of what I’ve achieved.

“They give you real, 
hands-on experience as well as a qualification, so it’s a great way to start a career.

“Employers can benefit, too – they have an opportunity to really shape their apprentice. I think apprentices are like sponges in that they will just absorb so much.

“I hope more businesses and students embrace the apprenticeship programme.”

Since completing her apprenticeship, Freya has gone on to join Napier as a marketing specialist.