NHS Health and Social Care Apprenticeship Awards 2025
The NHS Health and Social Care Apprenticeship Awards return for 2025 with an updated format that brings recognition directly to the heart of our services. This year, rather than hosting a central event, we’re celebrating excellence where it happens: in the workplaces, wards, and communities across the North West.
Specifically celebrating excellence across Lancashire and South Cumbria, these awards honour the very best Apprentices currently undertaking an Apprenticeship and still employed within NHS or Social Care qualifying organisations in the region.
There are 11 award categories, and nominations are welcome from employers, training providers, or the Apprentices themselves. Please note, the Rising Star category is also open to T Level students.
Monday 21st July
Friday 3rd October
Friday 24th October
Early November
If you're an apprentice, employer, training provider or NHS organisation, we encourage you to get involved. Nominate. Celebrate. Share success. We hope to return with a full in-person celebration in 2026 — but this year, we’re making sure the spotlight shines exactly where it matters most. ✨
Our 2025 awards will follow a digital-first approach — designed to be more inclusive, more accessible and more impactful than ever, by bringing recognition directly into the workplaces and communities where real change happens. This refreshed format removes barriers, widens participation, and ensures apprentices are celebrated where their contributions matter most.
Nominations Open
Apprentices who’ve made a meaningful impact are put forward by themselves, their employer, or training provider.
Entries Assessed
A judging panel reviews all submissions using clear, fair, and consistent criteria to ensure every entry is evaluated equally.
Shortlist Announced
The top nominees are shared publicly across social media and partner networks, celebrating those who stand out.
Winners Recognised
Instead of a formal event, winners receive their awards in person at their place of work, making the recognition more personal and visible to peers, teams, and employers.
Why This Matters
This refreshed format puts people first — removing travel barriers, encouraging broader participation, and celebrating achievements in the very places they happen.
Are you an education provider who has an outstanding Apprentice working within our Trusts, Community, Primary Care or Social Care?
Do you manage or work alongside an Apprentice who deserves recognition for their approach and commitment to their role?
As an Apprentice, can you demonstrate exceptional achievements or performance outcomes?
Take a look at our award categories to nominate yourself or an Apprentice for a 2025 Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Health and Social Care Apprenticeship Award.
This category is for the Apprentice who goes that extra mile, who demonstrates a good working ethos and makes every effort to produce good quality work. They might help and support others in the workplace or perform acts of kindness that are appreciated by others. They may produce additional work to what is expected of their Apprenticeship or job role. It might be that they have adopted an ambassadorial role to be an example to others by inspiring NHS and Social Care Apprenticeships.
This category is for the Apprentice who has strived to achieve and applied themselves in order to complete work and perform to the expected standard of their Apprenticeship. Maybe they have been experiencing difficult times, barriers to learning or overcome challenging obstacles to work hard in order to achieve.
This category is for a past (in the last 12 months) or present Apprentice who has demonstrated that they are an asset to the organisation or their chosen field. It may be through ambassadorial work, raising the profile of their profession or team, or maybe a past Apprentice is now in a managerial role, senior position or has used an NHS Health and Social Care Apprenticeship to gain a Higher Education qualification into an NHS Health or Social Care profession.
Our two Rising Star awards recognise both up-and-coming Apprentices and T Level students. The Apprentice Rising Star will be someone who is clearly demonstrating commitment, dedication and producing good work that shows potential, or been identified as a Rising Star through appraisal or learner reviews. The T Level Rising Star will be a student who is progressing, or who has progressed, onto an Apprenticeship with your organisation. T Level Rising Star nominations are welcomed for current students and those who have had a placement in the NHS Health or Social Care.
This category seeks to recognise an individual, team or organisation who have created, promoted and celebrated equality, diversity and inclusion. This might be through the removal of discrimination, or tackling challenges and obstacles or equality and diversity barriers. Or by establishing an environment which recognises, encourages and promotes equality. There may still be challenges, yet the individual, team or organisation strives to support others.
This category is open to any Apprentice who is engaged in a non-clinical Apprenticeship, doing well and proving to be a future investment. This Apprentice will demonstrate all the assets essential in order to thrive within that department.
This category is for the Apprentice who demonstrates team playing, with understanding, compassion and appreciation for those they work with. They may have been particularly helpful to a more junior Apprentice, provided support to the team in order to achieve a deadline or provided additional time to help the team achieve an outcome. This Apprentice will do their fair share of work and be a valued member of the team.
This category is for the Apprentice who has contributed an idea or action that has made a positive impact in the workplace, for a patient or work colleague. They may have thought of an innovative way to make improvements to the service or organisation. Innovation helps support a new way of working that helps an organisation to improve and grow.
This category is open to any Apprentice engaged in a clinical Apprenticeship who is doing well and proving to be a good future investment. This Apprentice will demonstrate all the assets essential in order to thrive within that department including care and compassion for their patients.
This award will be given to the winner of the winners. Our CHAMPION Apprentice of 2025 will be chosen from the winners of each category and will receive our special trophy.
This award will recognise organisations who have a strong commitment to employing, nurturing and supporting Apprentices and currently have Apprentices working for them. In this category, we want to hear about the impact an organisation has made to you as an Apprentice.
Strong applications will include specific details and evidence of what the Apprentice has done to substantiate their answers.
Judges want to hear about exemplar Apprentices who can clearly evidence the positive difference they have made to the organisation they work in. This evidence should include examples which demonstrate inspirational qualities, a commitment to personal development and the outstanding contribution the Apprentice has made to their workplace.
It is advisable that Apprentices who submit their own application should:
Use plain English and avoid jargon
Seek assistance from their employer and learning provider to ensure the answers are completed as comprehensively as possible
Where possible, ask their employer or learning provider to complete the required reference
The referee should consider:
How the Apprentice has demonstrated commitment to their own personal development and progression
The benefits the Apprentice brings to the organisation
Any inspirational qualities and outstanding contributions
Clear examples of achievements and attainments in learning and work
Blow your own trumpet! You should be currently undertaking an Apprenticeship at a qualifying organisation located within an NHS Health or Social Care organisation across Lancashire & South Cumbria.
Nominate an Apprentice you currently work with, or have worked with within the last 12 months, at a qualifying organisation located within an NHS Health or Social Care organisation across Lancashire & South Cumbria.
Nominate an Apprentice you currently work with at a qualifying organisation located within an NHS Health or Social Care organisation across Lancashire & South Cumbria.
Find out more about how you can sponsor an award for the NHS Health and Social Care Apprenticeship Awards 2025.
