Award-Winning Gateway to Construction Programme

We’re incredibly proud to be recognised alongside Seymour Civil Engineering as national award winners for our groundbreaking Gateway to Construction programme.

Winning the prestigious Best Workplace Readiness Scheme at the AELP Apprenticeship & Training Awards—held at the end of the annual Apprenticeship & Training Conference (ATC) in Liverpool—means a lot to us. This award recognises the real impact we’re making in bridging the construction skills gap and transforming lives through high-quality, industry-focused training. Presented by FE Week and the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP), in association with City & Guilds, this accolade followed a rigorous selection process from over 600 nominations across 19 categories.

The programme—delivered at Seymour Skills Academy, our joint partnership with Seymour Civil Engineering—was selected by a 20-strong panel of judges, including AELP’s CEO Ben Rowland, apprenticeship influencer Holly Hobbs, former skills minister Anne Milton, and UCAS head of apprenticeships Lindsay Conroy.

Darren Hankey, our Principal, said: “This award celebrates our shared commitment to transforming lives through industry-focused, outstanding training and we are so thrilled to be honoured in this way. Congratulations to our dedicated staff and partners at Seymour Skills Academy – this award belongs to everyone who has contributed to this life-changing initiative. With funding from the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority through its Adult Skills Fund, our Gateway to Construction programme has already helped hundreds of people start successful careers in construction. 75% of our learners go on to secure direct employment in the construction and engineering sectors."

We make sure learners are ready to work from day one. They leave us with key industry certifications like Health & Safety, CSCS cards, NRSWA Streetworks, and specialist plant operation training. Donna King, Seymour Skills Academy Manager, said: “We are delighted to have won the award for Best Workplace Readiness Scheme, a testament to the strength of our partnership with Hartlepool College of Further Education and the meaningful impact we’re making together. Through our Gateway to Construction training programme, we’ve supported over 870 learners in securing new employment—transforming lives and building futures. We are passionate about creating opportunities for the long-term unemployed, disadvantaged and hard-to-reach groups, helping them develop the skills needed to succeed. This milestone makes us incredibly proud and we remain committed to empowering even more individuals with the opportunities they deserve, while working to bridge the industry skills gap.”

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen added: “We are bringing thousands of new construction jobs to Teesside, Hartlepool and Darlington as we develop world-leading energy projects, transform our transport network and support the building of quality new homes. It's essential we have the right help in place to help local people get the training they need to build their careers while also providing industry with the skilled workforce it needs. Programmes such as Gateway to Construction are a great example of this. This award is fantastic recognition of how we are working together with businesses and colleges to achieve success.”

For us, this recognition shines a light on the power of collaboration between education and industry. It’s how we address skills shortages, drive opportunity, and grow the local economy. Shane Mann, chief executive of FE Week’s publisher EducationScape and chair of the ATA judging panel, said: “Our winners are proof of the dedicated professionals in the sector and the excellent work that puts apprentices front and centre of their provision. Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to our team of amazing judges, sponsors and partners. We couldn’t have done it without them.”

Interested in the Gateway to Construction Programme?  go to the Seymour Skills Academy Website to apply