LONDON,
2
5
th
June
2013
,
Microsoft last night announced the winners and runners up of its 2013 Apprentice of the Year competition. Billie Eliott, who works for Hull Trinity House Academy in Hull, was chosen as a runner up from the hundreds of apprentices employed by Microsoft and its partner businesses and was given her award by the Minister of State for Employment at a ceremony at the House of Commons.
The Microsoft apprenticeship programme is part of the company’s commitment to providing the relevant training and skills to young people in the UK to help them succeed in the workplace. Microsoft partners with training providers QA, Firebrand, Baltic and Remit and 30,000 IT businesses across the UK to deliver the apprenticeships. The Apprentice of the Year awards also recognise the support provided by this partner network of businesses and training providers.
Billie Elliott, Hull Trinity House Academy said:
“I’ve
really
enjoyed my time at
Trinity House Academy
so far and I’m
so
happy to
have won this award
. My apprenticeship has
made me even keener to work in IT and has given me a chance to get the skills I need to do that.
I
would like to say thank you
to Microsoft
and
Trinity House Academy for
giving me this opportunity.”
Billie was nominated by Microsoft partner business Trinity House Academy for her hard work throughout the apprenticeship and was recognised for her consistently high degree of resourcefulness and maturity. Whilst her manager was unavailable for work for a 6 week period, she worked hard to improve her knowledge and skills, whilst also having the sole responsibility for maintaining the academy’s IT network.
The Microsoft apprenticeship programme is part of the company’s Get On programme, which aims to help 300,000 British 16-24 year olds into work by 2015.
Hugh Milward, Director of Corporate Affairs, Microsoft said:
“
T
here is a huge wealth of talent here in the UK and it’s
really important to
cel
ebrate the achievements of
these
apprentices
, who have developed their skills and started an apprenticeship during tough economic times
.
The great news is that these young people
are now firmly on the career ladder
;
93% of Microsoft apprentices stay with our partner businesses and move into a fully qualified role. Th
ese
award
s
recognise their hard work
, determination
and achievements so
far
,
which will stand
them in good stead for a
successful career
in IT
and will help maintain the talent pipeline we have in the UK.
Microsoft developed the IT Apprenticeship to help businesses access talent to build their businesses, and as a way for young people to gain high quality IT skills and long term employment. As part of Get On, Microsoft has committed to creating 4000 apprenticeships by 2015.
Mark Hoban MP, Minister of State for Employment, said:
“This government is committed to ensuring our young people are given the best chance to get on in life – that’s why we set up the Youth Contract: a scheme that will offer 500,000 opportunities to young people over three years. In order for the scheme to work we rely on businesses like Microsoft opening their doors to aspirational young people; giving them the opportunity to gain the skills and training they need to get into work. It’s great to be here today to celebrate the achievements of these apprentices at a very exciting time in their careers.”
Microsoft has a worked to help people in the UK find jobs for more than a decade. In 2009, it launched Britain Works, the company’s commitment to helping 500,000 people into employment, which it achieved through a combination of partnerships with NGOs, skills training and apprenticeships – which are a crucial way of finding talent, developing skills and fuelling the talent pipeline of the IT industry. The Get On programme builds on Britain Works and is specifically aimed at helping 16-24 years olds as youth unemployment remains an issue in the UK.
For more information or to sign up for Get On programmes, please visit:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MicrosoftGetOn
Twitter: @getonUK #GetOn
Website: www.microsoft.com/uk/citizenship
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
