A teacher at Goldstone Primary School in Hove has been named Apprentice of the Year at the Sussex Business Awards.
Michael Lowe was formerly a teaching assistant at the school. He is one of the first graduates of the council’s teacher apprentice scheme.
Appenticeships enable people to learn new skills while being paid to do a job – a factor that was crucial to Michael.
He said: “Winning the award was a genuine surprise, but the reaction I have had from colleagues and friends has been lovely.
“The apprenticeship has given me the opportunity to advance my career in education that was unavailable to me through other routes.
“The course was definitely challenging, but I was surrounded by a wonderful group of people who supported me and it was a very worthwhile experience.”
Apprenticeships are not just for new starters or young people. They give people of all ages the chance to gain nationally recognised qualifications.
More and more organisations are using them to enable existing staff to gain new skills.