A COLLEGE student has been named Intermediate Apprentice of the Year for the South East.

Freya Ward picked up the honour at the recent regional finals for the National Apprenticeship Awards, held at HMS President in London.

The Chichester College student completed a Level 2 Marketing apprenticeship earlier this year while working for Napier Partnership Limited and studying at Chichester College.

The award means the 22-year-old joins 11 other regional winners for national judging in the hope of reaching the national finals, to be held in January.

Freya said: “I’m incredibly proud to have received this award and grateful for the support I received from Napier and Chichester College.

“Because of my apprenticeship, I have got an incredible job in a great career while I know a lot of my peers simply aren’t in that position.

“And it’s because of that I want to challenge the stigma that surrounds apprenticeships.

“When I started my apprenticeship, I had lots of misconceptions about apprenticeships and I was almost embarrassed to say I was an apprentice at first but I soon changed my own opinion and I’m proud of what I’ve achieved.

“They give you real hands on experience as well as a qualification, so it’s a great way to start a career.

“Employers can benefit too - they have an opportunity to really shape their apprentice. I think apprentices are like sponges in that they will just absorb so much. I hope more businesses and students embrace the apprenticeship programme.”

Since completing her apprenticeship, Freya has gone on to join Napier on a permanent basis as a marketing specialist.

She is also studying towards a CIM Certificate in Professional Marketing at Chichester College.

Shelagh Legrave OBE, headteacher at Chichester College, attended the award ceremony.

She said: “I would like to congratulate Freya on her outstanding achievement.

“The awards recognise the hard work, commitment and determination shown by apprentices and Freya really has embodied that through her dedication.

“She has worked really hard throughout her course and has championed apprenticeships at a host of events. She thoroughly deserved to win.”

Mike Maynard, managing director at Napier, said: “It’s fantastic that Freya has been recognised for the hard work she put in during her apprenticeship.

“To be selected as the apprentice of the year out of 12,000 applicants is a tremendous achievement.”