HIT Heroes Award Winners 2022


We are thrilled to announce the winners of the HIT Heroes Awards – and would like to congratulate each and every one on their amazing success! The judges were bowled over by the standard of this year’s entries and the huge benefits each winner brought to their sectors as a result of their apprenticeship.

Benefits to business

These included an ability to bring new ideas to the workplace, take on leadership roles and mentor junior team members.

Skills learned that particularly impressed judges included event management to encourage repeat business, winning nationally recognised craft beer awards and stepping up as sole manager of a new site. These are just a few of the stories that go to show the fantastic career progression opportunities for apprentices.

As you may have seen, the names of the winners and stories of their outstanding contributions to industry were revealed during National Apprenticeship Week to highlight the important role that apprenticeships play within the hospitality and retail sectors.

“While we know the incredible life-changing impact of apprenticeships on individuals of all ages and walks of life, we are always proud to take this opportunity to celebrate the fantastic work of our apprentices and their employers in our HIT Heroes Awards,” says HIT Training Managing Director Jill Whittaker.

“Once again, despite the current labour market challenges these sectors face, we have not been disappointed by the immense talent on show within hospitality and retail! We would like to congratulate every one of our winners on their huge success.”

The HIT Heroes Awards aims to recognise the amazing work of both apprentices and apprenticeship employers across the country and celebrate the individual drive and development of apprentices to become future hospitality and retail leaders.

We will be highlighting individual stories of all our winners over coming weeks – watch this space – and we will announce our overall apprentice and employer of the year winners on Wednesday 31st May.

HIT Heroes Award Winners 2022

Here is a full list of our incredible winners for 2022:

APPRENTICES:

Zoe Clack – Hospitality Apprentice of the Year – Sponsored by Institute of Hospitality

Jodie Plummer – Chef Apprentice of the Year

Betty Otton – Leadership Apprentice of the Year – Sponsored by Get My First Job

Joe Cullin – Extra Mile Apprentice of the Year – Sponsored by Professional Assessment Ltd

Matthew Lacey – Retail Apprentice of the Year

APPRENTICESHIP EMPLOYERS:

Yorebridge House – Small to Medium Employer of the Year – Sponsored by British Institute of Innkeeping

Compass Group UK & Ireland – Large Employer of the Year – Sponsored by Hospitality Jobs UK

JoJo Maman Bebe – Best Community Outreach Programme – Sponsored by Professional Assessment Ltd

To read the full story of each category winner, go to: hitheroes.co.uk/hall-of-fame


Time to Open up About Mental Health During COVID-19

HIT Training Ltd announces new Managing Director Mike Worley

HIT Training Ltd Receives Matrix Standard

National Apprenticeship Awards 2020 – Open for Entries!

HIT Training Ltd Embarks on the Journey to Net Zero with Planet Mark Certification

Future-Proof Your Business and Save Big: National Insurance Savings for Employers of Apprentices Under 25

Integrating Plant Based Food into your Menu

Rising stars named in prestigious Young National Chef of the Year semi-final line-up

Functional Skills: The Cornerstone of Apprenticeships

Alex Angelogiannis wows judges to take top spot in National Chef of the Year competition

Protecting the Future of the Sector: Hospitality Businesses Pledge to Fund Apprenticeships Outside Their Organisation

We’re Unmasking Talent in the Hospitality Industry with the Launch of the HIT Heroes Awards

HIT Training Apprentice Becomes First to Achieve New Hospitality Supervisor Apprenticeship

Managing Stress Levels in the Midst of a Global Pandemic

HIT partners with Hospitality Jobs UK to form new recruitment partnership

Election priorities: Fixing the apprenticeship levy by Jill Whittaker OBE

How to Inspire Young People to Choose a Career in Hospitality

Championing Change in Functional Skills

HIT Training Launches Suite of Training Courses and Workshops to Upskill Hospitality Teams

Medals All Round for our Fired Up Four!

The Power of Adding Plant-Based to your Menu

Sodexo Culinary Academy focuses on inspiring and elevating chefs at every level

Vacherin’s Nick Smith Crowned Winner of the Craft Guild of Chefs’ National Chef of the Year

HIT Training Ltd strengthens its board with four new Directors

Supporting Employers During the Economic Recovery

Two HIT Apprentices Make MasterChef Finals

HIT Training Named in Times Top 100 Best Companies to Work for

HIT Untapped competition: Meet the 2026 Stars of Brewing

It’s official – our SEND pilot is now permanent!

Access Global Opportunities for Your Apprentices

New Graduate Apprenticeship Launched to Build Future Hospitality Leaders

New National Chef of the Year is unveiled in front of industry elite

HIT Heroes Winners Unveiled in Celebration Event

The Real Barrier to Exceptional Hospitality Isn’t What You Think

John Hyde Scoops Special Recognition Award

It’s Time to Take Unnecessary Food Waste off the Menu

HIT Training Recognised at the TES FE Awards 2018

HIT Retains One Third of Staff for Over 10 Years

The Apprenticeship Levy One Year on

Apprentices Make History After Completing the UK’s First Ever Brewer Apprenticeship

HIT Training Ltd. Publishes White Paper on Apprenticeship Reforms and Workforce Development

HIT produces 1500 free meals on National Hospitality Day

Sodexo partners with HIT to gift £250k of levy to support hospitality apprentices

HIT Training First to Launch New Qualification for Health and Social Care Sector

How to Overcome Misconceptions and Unleash Employee Potential

What are apprenticeships? A guide for employers.

An Industry Collaboration

Three Ways to Keep your Staff Motivated and Inspired During Lockdown 3.0

HIT Training launches Hospitality employer call to action as ‘First Job. Future Career.’ campaign champions better opportunities for the next generation.

The Opportunity Provider and Scrumptious Marketing Announce Strategic Employer Branding Partnership

National Inclusion Week 2024: Why Impact Matters in Apprenticeships

The Clink Charity identifies first candidates for in-prison apprenticeships in partnership with HIT Training

‘The Super Six’ Unveiled

Introducing the Executive Development Network (EDN)

Untapped – HIT Training’s Brewer Apprentice Competition

Hospitality Apprentices Impress at HIT Masterchef Finals

Brewer Apprenticeship Graduation Event: Celebrating Brewing Talent and Achievement

Helping Neurodiverse Professionals Succeed in Hospitality

‘Forward with Marcus Wareing’ programme expands following huge success

HIT Training Elevates Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion by Becoming Patrons of the Multicultural Apprenticeship Alliance

Hospitality Unites to Launch New Graduate Apprenticeship Programme

Join us for a summer of learning at HIT Training!

HIT Training develops UK’s first Level 5 Hospitality Operations Manager Apprenticeship

Employee-owned training group signals long-term commitment to UK skills with new name

There’s No Age Limit to Invaluable Training

HIT Training and The Clink Charity announce new partnership to launch apprenticeships for serving prisoners

New Hospitality Academy Launches to Tackle Industry Challenges and Raise Service Standards

New movement to tackle gender inequality in the kitchen

HIT Training launches intelligent apprenticeship recruitment service for hospitality and retail, in partnership with urfuture

HIT Training and BII Collaborate on a Series of Ready to Reopen Webinars

Apprentice Drew Dawson Crowned Winner of Toque D’or® 2019

HIT’s exciting brewing competition is back for 2024

Hospitality Apprenticeships Week 2021 to Showcase Industry as #Morethanajob

Budget Reflections: Key Impacts on Skills and Training

The Importance of a Mentor for Apprentices

Omicron and COVID Plan B Update

HIT’s UnTapped Brewer Competition is back for 2025

Jill Whittaker, Managing Director of HIT Training Ltd, Awarded OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours

UnTapped 2025 is here, and our Super Seven finalists are thirsty for success!

How to Solve Your Staffing Problems with Apprenticeships

HIT Training Ltd scoops the award for Best Training Provider at the prestigious Apprenticeship Guide Awards

HIT Training Recognised at the Foodservice Cateys 2018

HIT Heroes Award Winners 2023

A Year of Achievement: HIT celebrates its first year under employee ownership.

Crunch Time: Over Half of Hospitality Businesses Risk Losing their Apprenticeship Levy Fund

HIT Launches New Fish Friers Apprenticeship

HIT Celebrates Hospitality Day

Jill Whittaker Takes Top Honour at the 2024 Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards

Developing an Apprenticeship Strategy

The Benefits of Learning at Work for your Business and Workforce

Do Hospitality Careers Need a Rebrand?

Don’t Waste: The Future of Hospitality

Introducing the New Normal for HIT’s Apprenticeship Delivery

Three Signs your Employees are Reaching Burnout – and How to Support Them

We Are Now a Planet Mark Certified Business

Jill makes Public Sector Catering’s ‘Most Influential’ list

HIT Training Ltd Welcomes Government Reforms to Functional Skills and Shorter Apprenticeships

There is a New Star in the Hospitality Industry

How to Manage Stress: Stress Awareness Month 2021

Leading the Way: Long Awaited Production Chef Apprenticeship is Launched

Sign up to news, events and great resources