Rising Stars Graduation and Employer Awards 2026
Save the Date: WBTC Rising Stars Graduation and Employer Awards 2026
Date: Wednesday 20th May 2026
Venue: Arlington Arts Centre
Join us for a inspiring afternoon as WBTC proudly presents the 2026 Rising Stars Graduation and Employer Awards.
Each year, WBTC comes together with apprentices, employers, families and friends to celebrate the dedication, progress, and success achieved through apprenticeships. This event recognises the exceptional individuals and organisations shaping the future of their industries through hard work, talent, and commitment.
The Rising Stars Awards honours apprentices who have demonstrated outstanding achievement and development within their chosen fields. These awards reflect the diversity of talent across our apprenticeship community and the remarkable journeys that lead to success.
This year brings significant change to our awards categories, moving away from the previous age-based structure to a more focussed, skill and sector based approach. The Apprentice of the Year Award will now be presented across four distinct categories:
- Apprentice of the Year in Education (Teaching Assistant; Early Years; Learning & Skills Mentor; Learning & Development Practitioner)
- Apprentice of the Year in Technology & Trade (IT Apprenticeships; Engineering Apprenticeships; Electrical Apprenticeships; Furniture Maker)
- Apprentice of the Year in Administration & Customer Service (Business Administration; Customer Service Practitioner & Specialist)
- Apprentice of the Year in Management (Team Leader; Operations Manager; Coaching Professional; Associate Project Manager)
The employer categories have also been streamlined. Instead of multiple sub-divisions. They are now just two size-based groups:
- Small/medium employer (SME) – less then 100 employees
- Large Employer of the Year -more then 100 employees.
The Mentor of the Year award will continue as an important recognition of individual guidance and support to our apprentices. This new structure aims to better recognise achievement across diverse professional fields. The nomination period is open now and will close on the 27th March 2026 at midday.
Meet the Judges
The judges for the 2026 Rising Stars Graduation and Employer Awards are individuals who WBTC believe make an outstanding contribution to apprenticeships and lifelong learning, and who have been valued supporters of WBTC for many years. They bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in apprenticeships and post-16 education, along with a deep appreciation for the dedication and commitment required to achieve success. We are sincerely grateful to them for taking time out of their busy schedules once again to take on the important task of selecting our finalists and choosing the winners of the WBTC Rising Stars and Employer Awards 2026.
Alex Pye
Our first judge for this year's Rising Stars Awards is Alex Pye. Alex is a Careers and Participation Officer with West Berkshire Council. He has many years experience working with young people in a range of settings including schools, colleges and in the community. He is an archery and canoeing coach, as well as a keen hill walker. Alex can regularly be found supporting people in achieving the Duke of Edinburgh award in the UK or overseas.
Jon Thompson
For over 40 years Jon has been employed in Public Service, with the delivery of national policy and initiatives supporting employment, education, training and skills. Joining in 2010 Jon steered WBTC to taking on a wide range of funded initiatives delivering training and support for disadvantaged and young people with learning difficulties and he has secured funding for the delivery of free training to more than 100 local employers. Since retiring in 2019 Jon has continued to be a ‘critical friend’ to WBTC.
Isy Davies
My name is Isy Davies and I'm an HR professional with over 25 year's experience. I live in Newbury and am proud to be one of WBTC's Board of Trustees. I enjoy helping others advance their careers and develop confidence and skills. Outside of work, I spend time with my family, play hockey and go indoor skydiving.