Could your amazing apprentice be crowned champion?
Local Government Apprentice of the Year 2024 is an exciting event for apprentices from across the sector to come together to showcase their skills, expertise, and initiative, by working on real-life challenges faced by local government.
In 2023, more than 130 level 2 and 3 local government apprentices from across England, Wales and Northern Ireland took part.
The event theme was climate change, and apprentices experienced the opportunities, risks and challenges in creating a local response to a global issue.
Apprentices were helped to work through a range of activities to develop successful workplace behaviours linked to a range of apprenticeship standards.
“This event can open doors and give you awesome experiences”
The event’s development leads were on hand to mentor and support apprentices and assess their work through a series of group activities.
The title of Local Government Apprentice of the Year 2023 was awarded to Laura De Campos Duhdamell (Lau, pictured), a level 3 Business Administration Apprentice from Surrey County Council.
Prior to the event, Lau carried out extensive research into net zero by networking with key individuals within her organisation who had experience in these areas, including the council’s cabinet member for environment.
Lau’s preparation was evident during the event and her new-found knowledge put her in good stead for the day’s developmental tasks.
She also enjoyed meeting other apprentices, hearing their ideas, learning about their backgrounds, and forging meaningful connections.
Since winning the event, Lau has been offered numerous opportunities for personal and professional growth and has gone on to secure a permanent role with Surrey County Council.
As the Co-chair of the council’s Early Careers Network, and a committee member of its Women’s Network, Lau says it is an honour to represent and support the journey of all apprentices.
“I feel like, together, we can make huge changes. We are all the workforce for the future in the public sector,” she said. “The Apprentice of the Year event provided me with unexpected opportunities for growth, learning and networking, surpassing my initial expectations.
“It’s not just about networking, though; this event is all about collaborating and learning. You’ll dive deep into hot topics that matter to our work, gaining insights that will turbocharge your skills and understanding.
“Attending this event can open doors, give you awesome experiences, and connect you with people who can truly make a difference in your career.”
Cllr Tim Oliver, Leader of Surrey County Council, said: “We are so proud of Lau; she is a fantastic role model and always goes above and beyond in everything she does.
“Our young people are our future, so I hope that Lau’s success can inspire and encourage others to apply for apprenticeship schemes, to help develop their skills and gain experience.”
The LGA supports councils to deliver successful apprenticeship schemes helping young people into training and employment, as part of its government-funded sector support offer.
Its Apprenticeship Support programme helps councils share good practice, provides advice and guidance, supports councils to problem solve via an action learning programme, and audits council apprenticeship programmes through ‘Apprenticeships MOT’ health checks.
Apprenticeship opportunities in local government have expanded significantly in the past five years, with councils in England creating more than 71,000 apprenticeships in more than 200 fields.
Apprentice of the Year
Local Government Apprentice of the Year 2024 takes place from 21-22 May and is open to all level 2 and 3 apprentices in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. This includes current apprentices and those qualified within the past 12 months.
There is a charge of £149 for each participating apprentice, to contribute towards the costs of running this large-scale event, which is a joint partnership between the LGA, East of England LGA, and South West Councils.
For more information, please visit www.local.gov.uk/AOTY, where you can also book for our ‘Find out more’ session on 12 March.