COMMISSIONER THYSSEN HANDS OVER THE
EUROPEAN ALLIANCE FOR APPRENTICESHIPS AWARDS
AS PART OF THE FIRST EUROPEAN
VOCATIONAL SKILLS WEEK
Marianne Thyssen, European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility,
handed over the first ever European Alliance for Apprenticeships Awards at the closing ceremony
of the first European Vocational Skills Week on Friday, 9 December 2016.
The EAfA Awards were part of the altogether 9 awards that were given as part of the first European
Vocational Skills Week to inspire and showcase the benefits of Vocational Education and Training in
Europe.
The Commission set up the EAfA Awards to recognise achievements of companies, committed under the
EAfA, as well as their apprentices, for outstanding achievements in the area of apprenticeships.
Particular focus was put on the quality, the supply and the image of apprenticeships, as well as the
mobility of apprentices – the key themes of the EAfA.
The entire process of the first EAfA Awards was carried out within the Alliance: Members (pledge holders)
of the EAfA were invited to propose candidates, which, too, were to be pledge holders. Members of the
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selection committee represented the following EAfA stakeholder categories (social partners (employees
and employers/companies), research institutes and regional authorities). The Commission set up and
chaired the selection committee, but did not participate in the selection process.
The EAfA Awards were selected in categories "Companies" and "Apprentices". In the category
"Companies", 12 proposals were received, out of which 9 were eligible (both candidate and proposing
company were members of the EAfA). In the category "Apprentices", 10 proposals for current or recent
apprentices were received of which 4 were eligible (apprentices were from companies with a pledge
under the EAfA). The Commission wishes to thank all those that participated in the process, either by
proposing candidates, or volunteering for the selection committee!
The first EAfA Awards: Winners
Category "Apprentices"; Two winners:
Megan Niven, Nielsen (UK)
(Nielsen is part of the Nestlé Alliance for YOUth
pledge)
Megan, 20 years old, joined Nielsen UK through a 2-year Apprenticeship Programme at Level 5 in
Business innovation and Growth in 2014. After graduation in 2016, she now holds a permanent Training
Coordinator position in the same company.
Megan had the natural ability to coordinate and manage large Country Training Programmes. In addition,
after having spotted a gap in Nielsen's business where Training Inductions were not run, she proactively
designed a formal Training Induction to be rolled out across the UK and Ireland Nielsen Business,
including a tailored training plan built for each new starter. Megan further Innovated in Training through
designing and building a ‘Training Passport’ for Delegates.
Megan has taken an active role in developing awareness of Apprenticeships in the Oxfordshire region.
Now Megan is a formal Coach for Nielsen's 2016 Apprenticeship scheme. She is also supporting the
company in taking the lead role in re-developing the Standards for Business Innovation and Growth
across the UK.
The selection committee appreciated in particular Megan's pro-active attitude to her work and
her active role in developing awareness of Apprenticeships. The initiatives she has taken in the
field of training and apprenticeships go far beyond what is expected of an apprentice.
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Lewis Churchill, IBM Europe (UK)
Lewis is a 22 year-old apprentice in his final year of becoming an advanced level Technical Solution
Specialist at IBM. Lewis’s story is particularly inspiring, having had difficulties at school, with poor school
attendance. Now, 5 years later, he has made rapid and outstanding progress since joining IBM’s
apprenticeship programme.
Throughout his apprenticeship he has covered a number of areas including data analysis, testing,
environment virtualisation, process modelling and technical service management. He is the only IBM
apprentice to have joined his department and has thrived in a highly qualified team of PhDs and senior
professionals.
Lewis has repeatedly identified opportunities to extend his knowledge and skills, resulting in tangible
business impact. He is recognised as a top performer at his level, receiving multiple IBM practice awards,
delivering significant revenue and performing to a high standard within stretch job roles.
Lewis has contributed to the professional development of other apprentices and has been an active
ambassador for apprenticeships at numerous events for school children.
The selection committee appreciated in particular Lewis' engagement and performance in the
company and his personal development from somebody with difficulties at school into a
responsible co-worker contributing to the company's objectives.
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Category "Companies":
Petronor, part of the REPSOL Group (ES)
Mr. Jose Ignacio Zudaire, Director of Institutional Relations
and Mr. Sergio San Martin, Teacher of the apprentice school,
received the Award from Marianne Thyssen, Commissioner
for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility
Petronor (a company belonging to the Repsol group) has a strong social commitment in a region with a
well-established tradition of vocational training. The motivation of the company to engage in vocational
training is largely due to its awareness that their competitiveness depends on the quality of their
personnel.
Since the year 2000, 400 people have been trained in work-based training programmes by Petronor,
most of them in vocational training courses for chemical plant operators. The training duration is 9
months, with three months at the training centre and 6 months at the refinery.
In recent years Petronor has been developing its own training model, and this year they started a project
for dual vocational training. As a result, the company has hired 25 students whose training as plant
operators leads to a professional certificate in environmental management which enables them to play
an important role within the organisation.
To address the employability of young people in the region, Petronor, with the support of Basque
institutions, has designed a 2-year programme (including more than 1800 practical hours) for Specialist
Dual Training. This programme is tailor-made for industrial companies working in the chemical sector
and in energy and water distribution and production. As a result of that, 18 apprentices from 6 different
vocational training centers, are specialising in dynamic equipment or industrial plant instrument
maintenance in our refinery, in three important subcontractors and another local company.
The selection committee appreciated in particular Petronor's good cooperation with VET
providers in the region to develop apprenticeship programmes leading to a qualification. It also
appreciated that Petronor actively develops training programmes that correspond their
training needs.
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