Four apprentices have been recognised as being outstanding in their fields in this year’s Apprentice of the Year Awards.

The Award showcases apprenticeships as a valuable career path and spotlights the contributions that individual apprentices make to the workforce.

Top (L-R): Angel Branker, Amy Smith
Bottom (L-R): Lucy Brehaut, Emily Butterworth

Split into two categories to acknowledge apprentices working at different levels in the sector, Group 1 was for the Level 3 & 4 category* while Group 2 was for individuals studying at the Level 5+ category**.

The Apprentice of the Year Award for Group 1 went to Angel Branker, Apprentice Laboratory Technician at Nuffield Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford.

The Highly Commended award for this category went to Lucy Brehaut, Laboratory Technician Apprentice at the University of Southampton.

The Apprentice of the Year Award for Group 2 was given to by Amy Smith, Oncology Scientific Apprentice at AstraZeneca.

The winner of the Highly Commended award in this category was Emily Butterworth, Laboratory Scientist Apprentice – Microbiology at AstraZeneca.

Commenting on winning the Apprentice of the Year Award (Group 1), Angel Branker said: “I am thrilled to be named Apprentice of the Year and truly grateful for the recognition for apprentices from the RSB. Winning this award is an incredible honour that not only recognises my hard work and dedication but also highlights the collective effort of my department and training provider in supporting my journey. This achievement is testament to the high standards of training and guidance I've received, and I hope it inspires my fellow apprentices to continue striving for excellence in their own paths.”

Amy Smith, winner of the Apprentice of the Year Award (Group 2), said: “I feel extremely grateful to receive the Royal Society of Biology Apprentice of the Year Award. I have had an amazing five years completing my Laboratory Science Apprenticeship in the Translational Genomics team at AstraZeneca and I feel truly honoured to have been selected to win this award. I would like to express my gratitude to all the scientists I have had the opportunity to learn from and work with and can’t wait to see where the next five years take me!”

The winners of each group receive a £250 cash prize, one year of free RSB membership, and a free application to either the RSci or RSciTech register.

The Highly Commended awardees each receive one year of free RSB membership and a free application to either the RSci or RSciTech register.

This year’s competition was judged by:

• Jacqui Piner: RSB trustee and former GlaxoSmithKline Scientific Director
• Hilary Jeffreys: Consultant, Chair of the Science Council Registration Authority, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry
• Matthew Garland: Laboratory Director at the Veterinary Pathology Group
• Pat Kingston: Seahaven Academy Science Department
• Rebecca Baldwin: Scientific Officer at Solinatra

The standard of applications for this year, in particular, was incredibly high. The judges were impressed by the quality of work apprentices have been doing, engagement in their own professional development, and their dedication to inspiring others. The RSB would like to thank the judges for their time and expertise.

The four recipients received their awards at the RSB’s Annual Awards Ceremony on 8 October held at the Royal Geographical Society as part of this year’s Biology Week.

* Group 1: Levels 3 and 4 in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. Scottish levels SCQF 5-7. Irish levels 5 and 6.

** Group 2: Levels 5+ in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. Scottish levels SCQF 8+. Irish levels 7+.