The North East’s largest building society is celebrating the achievements of its own North East Rising Star apprentice.
Gavin Malone of Newcastle Building Society has been awarded the North East region’s Rising Star award as part of the National Apprenticeship Awards. Now the software development apprentice is hoping to put the North East on a national stage by winning the Rising Star National Award.
The National Apprenticeship Awards 2019 showcase the diverse range of opportunities that apprenticeships can open up and celebrate the very best apprentices, employers and apprentice champions across the country.
From this week until Friday 18 October, the public can vote for the national winner of the Rising Star award from nine regional winners.
Gavin Malone, 20 who has lived in Consett all his life, said: “I was so shocked but chuffed at the same time to be awarded with the Rising Star award for the North East. When I found out that I would be entered into the national awards as well I was pleased. It’s just such a great achievement in itself.
“My apprenticeship has given me a lot of qualities that I wouldn’t have gained elsewhere and given me the opportunity to work with and learn from senior developers which has been brilliant. It’s allowed me to kick start my career in something that I’m extremely passionate about, and I’m going to be able to go on and do a degree course in something I love.”
Kirsten Lightfoot, head of people development at Newcastle Building Society, said: “We’re all so pleased of Gavin for winning North East Rising Star award. He’s worked so hard in his apprenticeship and has now been promoted to Software Developer where he’ll continue to grow.
“We’re asking our local communities to vote for Gavin as the National Winner of the Rising Star award as the North East hasn’t won the Nationals before, but now it’s our time to shine!”
Public voting is now open and closes on Friday 18 October at 5pm. The vote will be hosted on the National Apprenticeship Awards website – https://appawards.co.uk/