National Apprenticeship Awards 2020 – Open for Entries!


Back for their 17th year, the National Apprenticeship Awards are a fantastic opportunity to showcase the apprentices, employers and champions who have gone above and beyond, in spite of the challenges faced during this pandemic.

Entries to the awards are open until 25 September 2020 and this year’s winners will be recognised via virtual ceremonies. It is free to enter the awards, and all entries must be made through our application website appawards.co.uk 

We have nine categories to recognise exceptional employers, apprentices and apprenticeship champions: 

Employer of the Year categories

  • SME Employer of the Year (for organisations with 1 to 249 employees)
  • Large Employer of the Year (for organisations with 250 to 4,999 employees)
  • Macro Employer of the Year (for organisations with 5,000+ employees)
  • Recruitment Excellence (the winner is selected from Employer of the Year award entries, and will be awarded to an organisation that has recruited a diverse and high quality apprenticeship workforce).

Apprentice of the Year and Apprenticeship Champion categories

  • Intermediate Apprentice of the Year (level 2)    
  • Advanced Apprentice of the Year (level 3)
  • Higher or Degree Apprentice of the Year (level 4 or higher)
  • Rising Star of the Year* (nominated by their employer, this award recognises apprentices that have made impressive progress in their career to date, and have the potential to go even further)
  • Apprenticeship Champion of the Year (recognises individuals who go ‘above and beyond’ to champion apprenticeships. The nomination is made by a colleague or contact who recognises an individual’s ‘champion’ credentials).

* The Rising Star category will not include a public vote this year due to the condensed format of the awards 

We have produced two webinars to explain the awards process in more detail, including hints and tips on completing your application.  These can be accessed here:

Regional Ceremonies will take place online between 2 and 6 November, with the national ceremony taking place online on Wednesday 25 November. 

To find out more about the National Apprenticeship Awards 2020 please visit: appawards.co.uk


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

We Are Now a Planet Mark Certified Business

HIT celebrates new tri-nation partnership

HIT Training Ltd moves to employee ownership

‘The Super Six’ Unveiled

Hat-trick for HIT: Apprenticeship Provider of the Year three years running

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

HIT Untapped competition: Meet the 2026 Stars of Brewing

Mental Health Awareness Week – Dealing with Anxiety

Medals All Round for our Fired Up Four!

Helping Young People Into Work: every employer can do one thing

Hospitality Apprentices Impress at HIT Masterchef Finals

HIT Training Launches Free Workshops to Help Close the Chef Skills Gap in the Capital

Working together with the New Government

Functional Skills: The Cornerstone of Apprenticeships

Entries now open for the Craft Guild of Chefs Graduate Awards 2025

From First Job to Future Career

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

What Are Flexible Apprenticeships?

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

Hospitality Apprenticeship Showcase 2021 goes Online

Do Hospitality Careers Need a Rebrand?

What is the Apprenticeship Levy?

HIT Heroes Award Winners 2022

Turn a first job into a future career with a foundation apprenticeship

Hospitality Employers Back Shorter Apprenticeships as HIT Launches New Working Group

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

Developing an Apprenticeship Strategy

Two HIT Apprentices Make MasterChef Finals

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

The Future Hospitality Workforce: What Will it Look Like Following COVID-19?

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

All Change – It’s Time to Reserve Your Apprenticeship Funding!

HIT Heroes Award Winners Announced for 2021

Research Reveals a Positive Change in Perceptions of Hospitality Careers

The Benefits of Learning at Work for your Business and Workforce

HIT Training Ltd named “Learning Provider of the Year” at the 2025 Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards

Introducing the New Normal for HIT’s Apprenticeship Delivery

HIT Launches New Fish Friers Apprenticeship

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

Update to our company name

New Graduate Apprenticeship Launched to Build Future Hospitality Leaders

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

Educate Your Team on the Mental Health Benefits of Food

‘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

Leading the Way: Long Awaited Production Chef Apprenticeship is Launched

HIT Training Ltd Receives Matrix Standard

Integrating Plant Based Food into your Menu

HIT Training Apprentice Becomes First to Achieve New Hospitality Supervisor Apprenticeship

There is a New Star in the Hospitality Industry

The Young National Chef of the Year Finalists Have Been Revealed

Government announces major youth employment drive and apprenticeship reforms

Election priorities: Fixing the apprenticeship levy by Jill Whittaker OBE

Untapped competition: Meet the 2024 Rising Stars of Brewing

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

Gravetye Manor chef takes the top spot in Young National Chef of the Year

HIT Training Features for Fourth Time in The Sunday Times’ Top 100 Best Companies to Work for’

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

HIT Training Recognised at the Foodservice Cateys 2018

HIT Training Offers Chartered Management Degree Apprenticeship to Drive Business Improvement

HIT Heroes Award Winners 2023

Flexi-apprenticeships are the Answer to the Dwindling Hospitality Workforce

HIT Retains One Third of Staff for Over 10 Years

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

The Newt in Somerset Unveils ‘Elevate’ – A Bespoke Hospitality Academy in partnership with HIT Training

Omicron and COVID Plan B Update

Untapped – HIT Training’s Brewer Apprentice Competition

The Apprenticeship Levy One Year on

A Listening Ear Makes All the Difference: World Suicide Prevention Day

HIT partners with Hospitality Jobs UK to form new recruitment partnership

The Power of Adding Plant-Based to your Menu

Winners of Fired Up and Un-Tapped Apprentice Competitions 2023 announced

HIT Training Ltd Wins Excellence in English and Maths Skills Development at the Apprenticeship and Training Awards

It’s ‘Time to Talk’

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

An Industry Collaboration

The Opportunity Provider and Scrumptious Marketing Announce Strategic Employer Branding Partnership

Brewer Apprenticeship Graduation Event: Celebrating Brewing Talent and Achievement

The Importance of a Mentor for Apprentices

Budget Reflections: Key Impacts on Skills and Training

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

Britain’s First Job Problem: Why Career Starter Sectors Matter

Hospitality Apprenticeships Week 2021 to Showcase Industry as #Morethanajob

Access Global Opportunities for Your Apprentices

How to Solve Your Staffing Problems with Apprenticeships

HIT Training Ltd Receives ‘Good’ Ofsted Rating for 14th Consecutive Year

HIT’s Executive Chair Jill Whittaker OBE wins award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Industry’

Championing Change in Functional Skills

Institute of Hospitality and HIT Training Invest in the Industry’s Future

Supporting Employers During the Economic Recovery

Rising stars of the UK culinary scene revealed for Young National Chef of the Year final

Deliveroo Launches New Chef Apprenticeship Fund to Tackle Skills Shortage

Stepping Up – It’s Time to Earn your Stripes

How to Manage Stress: Stress Awareness Month 2021

HIT’s UnTapped Brewer Competition is back for 2025

Jill Whittaker Takes Top Honour at the 2024 Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards

HIT Training LTD Receives Royal Recognition for Outstanding Training Impact

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

What we Can Learn from the Industry About Infection Control

Sign up to news, events and great resources