Awards nominees offer 'bright future'

We launched the contest — run over ten weeks in the Advertiser — in partnership with the Rotherham Business Growth Board and for the winners announced at the special awards event at Rotherham Town Hall on Monday June 20 there’s £250 and a trophy on offer.

Initial judging has taken place and entries have been narrowed down to a shortlist, from which the winners will be decided on the day.

Level one finalists are Liam Cullen of Willmott Dixon, Jonathan Watson of Nikken, Bridey Seekings of Fire House Group, Daniel Harrison of Mears, Philip Holley of ZND, Jack Hopkinson of Jump Primary and Liam Norburn of Intend.

Higher level apprentice finalists are Alex Bellis of Expert Web, Laura Sargent of SVM, Michael Knight of Greencore and Molly Charlesworth of Magna.

Judges will include Rotherham Advertiser editor Andrew Mosley, Ian Goodall of Aardvark Swift, Steve Roberts of Fripp Design and Professor Anne Peat of the University of Sheffield.

Advertiser editor Andrew Mosley said: “The response to the competition was fantastic and the standard of entries was really encouraging.

“If the people who entered are anything to go by, companies in Rotherham can be very optimistic about the future as there are some very bright young people out there in Rotherham.

“It gives us hope for business and industry in Rotherham, which will hopefully result in an upturn in our economic fortunes.”