Apprentices set to be honoured at Chesterfield Retail Awards
One of Chesterfield’s apprentices will be named as the town’s best at the 2018 Chesterfield Retail Awards next month.
Two retail apprentices have been shortlisted for the prestigious Apprentice of the Year award, sponsored by the Apprentice Town initiative led by Chesterfield Borough Council.
Jodie Tomlinson a hairdressing apprentice from The Lounge on Chatsworth Road, and Chloe Hall, an apprentice beauty therapist from The Therapy Lounge in Hasland, are both in the running for the brand new award after being nominated by their employers.
Jodie and Chloe will be recognised alongside more than 30 businesses from the town’s retail sector which have been shortlisted across 15 categories in Destination Chesterfield’s annual Retail Awards.
Both Jodie and Chloe are NVQ Level 2 apprentices and have impressed their employers with their enthusiasm for their job and the impact they are making on the businesses they work in.
Social media savvy, Jodie Tomlinson joined The Lounge after leaving Brookfield Community School last year and has ambitions to become a stylist following her apprenticeship. She is the ‘go to’ person for social media activity in the salon and her management of it has had a big impact on The Lounge, resulting in more publicity and an increase in business.
Delighted to be shortlisted Jodie (17) from Brampton said:-
“I was happy and surprised to learn I had been shortlisted for the award. I really enjoy my job, particularly styling and finishing people’s hair.”
Her boss, salon owner Rebecca Ward, added:-
“Jodie really deserves the recognition for all the hard work she puts in to make it in her hairdressing career.”
Fellow nominee and former Bolsover School pupil Chloe Hall (18) from Duckmanton, said:-
“I’m really enjoying my apprenticeship. I love being part of a team and doing the treatments. I really want to progress to a level 3 apprenticeship when I complete my level 2. It’s great how apprenticeships combine training and a wage – it’s what attracted me to doing one.”
Chloe’s boss and owner of The Therapy Lounge, Carly Smith praised her for her work as a salon assistant. Chloe is now starting to do her own treatments with clients and the growth in her confidence since starting her apprenticeship at The Therapy Lounge is reaping rewards for her customer service skills.
Carly added:-
“Chloe has put in a lot of work and effort to get up to speed. She has had to develop a lot of life skills since starting but her lovely personality has helped. We’re now confident Chloe will progress to Level 3 in September.
Alongside the Apprentice of the Year title, this year’s Chesterfield Retail Awards will also be honouring the town’s Apprentice Employer of the Year, sponsored by Learning Limited (The Chesterfield College Group).
Three businesses have been shortlisted for the Apprentice Employer of the Year award – Ashgate Hospicecare, Bliss Hair and Specsavers.
This is the first year that apprentices and apprentice employers have been recognised in the Chesterfield Retail Awards. The new awards are designed to recognise and commend the valuable contribution both apprentices and their employers make to Chesterfield’s retail scene.
Commenting on the decision to introduce the new categories to the Retail Awards line up, Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Vice Chair of Destination Chesterfield and deputy leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said:-
“I am delighted we have been able to introduce the new categories in the Retail Awards. So many dedicated people work in the town’s retail sector and this is reflected in the high calibre of entrants we have in each category.
“It is great to see young people developing their skills and careers in the sector and also to recognise the many employers who are supporting them through apprenticeships.”
The winners of the Chesterfield Retail Awards will be announced on Wednesday 13 June at the fifth annual Chesterfield Retail Awards, being held at the Winding Wheel.
Other supporters of the 2018 Chesterfield Retail Awards include: Chesterfield Borough Council, Derbyshire Times, East Midlands Chamber, eBusiness Works, In the Works PR, JP Fire Safety, Peak FM, Jumble Creative Design, Temple Safety, The Pavements Shopping Centre and the University of Derby.
For more information about the awards including details of remaining sponsorship packages, visit www.chesterfield.co.uk/retailawards
