Training apprentices requires commitment, giving them the resources and time needed to become a fully trained and capable team member making a contribution to the local authority environmental services sector.

Some local authorities are doing this every day and APSE say they want to highlight the training organisations and the individual apprentices who are leading the field within the UK. They are now asking where do your apprentices fit in? APSE say give your apprentices the chance to prove themselves as winners and see what they can do.

The APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) local authority apprentice and trainee of the year awards are specific to front line service areas and support excellence in training standards within local authorities and their partner organisations throughout the UK, including members and non-members of APSE. The awards scheme is open to candidates from all stages of training and have been running successfully for 17 years. The awards are open to every authority and their partner organisations in the UK.

Entry to these awards is free of charge and successfully short listed candidates and their local authority receive individual awards to recognise the achievements of both the apprentice and the employer.

APSE will be running two award categories at this ceremony:

• Horticulturalist (e.g: Gardener, Horticulturalist etc)
• Street scene /Waste collection (e.g:. street cleansing , fly-tipping and graffiti removal, waste and recycling collection etc.)

The finalists will be contacted directly and then announced on the APSE website in September.

To register your interest online for the awards, and receive a portfolio template, click here and complete the form.