Article summary: Relive the excitement of our 2025 Apprentice and Employer of the Year Awards, held at Portsmouth Guildhall. With more than 250 attendees, the evening celebrated the outstanding contributions of apprentices, employers, and PETA staff.
Relive the excitement of our 2025 Apprentice and Employer of the Year Awards, held at Portsmouth Guildhall. With more than 250 attendees, the evening celebrated the outstanding contributions of apprentices, employers, and PETA staff.
Last Friday 27th June, we welcomed over 250 guests to the Portsmouth Guildhall for the third year in a row to celebrate our Apprentice and Employer of the Year Awards. It was an incredible evening where apprentices, employers, family, friends and special guests came together with the PETA team to celebrate a year of outstanding achievements and dedication.
We introduced 4 new awards for this year, Best in Finance to celebrate our new AAT finance apprenticeships, and divided our engineering categories into 3 – to celebrate those across the vast range of programmes.
We were particularly excited to welcome back our first ever Apprentice of the Year winner from 2005, Maria Ainsley, who presented our Rising Star of the Year award.
Congratulations to all our winners, find the full list below, and thank you to our sponsors for supporting the evening.
Please find all photos from the evening here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/e6CsZe55ATawjV3X9
#AZAwards2025 – The Winners!
Overall Apprentice of the Year – Connor Luke (PEI Genesis)
Paragon of the Year – Gayle Wallace (Carbon 60)
AZ Award for Excellence – Sarah Fury (Drift IT Services)
Best in ICT – John Whittle (Carbon 60)
Best in Business - Connor Luke (PEI Genesis)
Best in Finance – Ben McKay (Safran)
Best in Management - Hannah Haynes (Havant Borough Council)
Best in Higher Management - Denisa-Maria Muresan (Brittany Ferries)
Best in Engineering – Technician – Sorrell Atlee (Harwin)
Best in Engineering – Maintenance & Assembly – Pete Van Der Westhuizen (CooperVision)
Best in Engineering – Manufacturing & Fabrication – Thomas Searls (Turbocam)
Best Apprentice Employer (SME) – Drift IT Services
Best Apprentice Employer (Corporate) – Hamble Aerostructures
Rising Star of the Year – Darren May (L&S Waste Management)
Mentor of the Year – Sue Dimmick (Prysmian)
PETA L&D Coach of the Year – Lily Thurling
PETA Trainer of the Year – Emma Quance