Oxford student receives award for Apprentice of the Year

Chelsey Church, who studies at the City of Oxford College and University Centre, received the honour at the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards, which celebrates apprenticeships across Oxfordshire.

She is currently an apprentice at Bill Cleyndert & Company and is enrolled on the Furniture Making Operative Level 2 Apprenticeship.

Faith King, teacher of apprenticeships at Activate Learning, said: “We are delighted that Chelsey has received this award in recognition of her outstanding commitment, progress, and professionalism throughout her apprenticeship.

“From the very beginning, Chelsey has demonstrated an exceptional work ethic, a positive and proactive approach to learning, and a genuine passion for developing her skills within the furniture-making industry.”

The awards ceremony took place at the new Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities at the University of Oxford, a recently opened venue.

Ms King said Chelsey had shown consistent dedication to her professional and personal development.

She said: “Throughout her programme, Chelsey has consistently shown strong leadership, teamwork, and initiative.

“She has embraced opportunities to develop her expertise, confidently working with hand tools, machinery, and equipment while remaining keen to learn new processes.

“Chelsey actively seeks feedback and applies it thoughtfully, resulting in clear and sustained progress in both her practical skills and theoretical knowledge.”

The annual Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards is run by Enterprise Oxfordshire Skills and celebrates apprenticeships across Oxfordshire.