BRADFORD based Yorkshire Building Society was last night revealed as a winner at the National Apprenticeship Awards.

YBS won the Newcomer Large Employer of the Year award at the ceremony at London’s Grosvenor House.

The Awards are run by the National Apprenticeship Service and recognise excellence in businesses that grow their own talent with apprentices, and apprentices who have made a significant contribution to their workplaces.

Accepting the award, Andy Tupman, Emerging Talent Manager, said: “Our apprentices are a credit not only to themselves but the whole organisation. We’re committed to providing great career pathways across a number of business areas whether in one of our head offices or throughout the UK in one of our branches. I’m proud of the culture that we have created and display on a daily basis.

“For us, there's no such thing as a typical apprentice. You could be just out of school, looking to change your career, newly graduated and looking for something different or just out of retirement. There's no average age, no average background and no experience required – we are much more interested in finding applicants with the right values and passion for exceeding customer expectations.”

The ceremony also saw The YBS Group named in the prestigious Top 100 Apprenticeship Employer list. The list, which is compiled annually by the National Apprenticeship Service, sponsored by Centrica, recognises excellence in businesses that employ apprentices.

Skills and Apprenticeships Minister Anne Milton said: “The National Apprenticeship Awards ceremony is a great opportunity to celebrate the work so many individuals and employers have done to champion apprenticeships.

“I want to congratulate everyone that was a part of these awards for their contribution to apprenticeships in England. They are all fantastic advocates of hard work and ambition, and they highlight how apprenticeships are a great route into skilled employment for people of all ages and backgrounds.”