Burton Chamber becomes proud sponsor of young entrepreneur’s journey
Burton & District Chamber of Commerce was proud to sponsor the Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the FE and Apprenticeship Awards of Burton and South Derbyshire College (BSDC).
Held at the Burton Albion Football Club Pirelli Stadium on 19 September, the award was presented by head of Burton Chamber Richard Brooks and executive committee member Rohit Parmar-Mistry.
The wide-ranging award categories included a selection that were based around the college’s Skills Promise: a variety of skills and qualities that students gain in addition to their qualification that will give them a head start in their career and make them stand out when applying for jobs.
The Skills Promise encompasses the range of skills that employers are looking for, from creative thinking, being a team player and showing resilience, to being a good communicator, being good at solving problems and showing initiative.
Other sponsors of the event include Autoclenz, BAC O’Connor, B&Q, Bodyswaps, Cosy, Crdl, Everyone Active, Ginho, Hardy Signs, Hilton at St. George’s Park, Playtonic, The Do Club and The National Forest.
The ceremony was presented by compere, Mark O’Sullivan, and was based on the theme of sustainability in line with the College’s commitment to the SDG Accord and being a Carbon Neutral Organisation, with a target of achieving net zero by 2050.
As part of this commitment, the college is dedicated to increasing carbon literacy amongst learners and staff to help achieve local sustainability targets. All sponsors on the night also had a tree planted on their behalf in the National Forest in keeping with the theme.
The guest speaker on the evening was Louise Driver, director of operations at the National Forest Company, who spoke about the National Forest’s ambitions and its role in creating a greener and healthier future.
The overall FE Learner of the Year Award for 2024 went to construction learner, Deniza Veisa for her exceptional skill, industry recognition, and dedication to challenging stereotypes in bricklaying.
Meanwhile, Engineering Fitter Apprentice, Scott Tomlinson won Apprentice of the Year for his resilience, leadership and commitment to lifelong learning, having successfully transitioned from a career in catering to engineering.
The Burton Chamber is continuing its efforts to develop young professionals in the area, in a joint effort with the Future Faces Chamber of Commerce and the East Staffordshire Borough Council.
Richard Brooks said: “It was an honour to sponsor and present to the Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the BSDC FE and Apprentice Awards.
“I’m excited to see what the future holds for such talented and driven individuals, and I look forward to seeing their continued success!”
Principal and chief executive of Burton and South Derbyshire College, John Beaty said: “It was fantastic to host a celebration of achievement and success for our students.
“We are passionate about encouraging people to reach their full potential, and the awards ceremony was an excellent way to celebrate outstanding achievements and recognise those learners who go above and beyond to reach their educational and career goals.”
