(1888PressRelease)
May 28, 2009 - A profoundly deaf apprentice supported by Catch22 South East Training has been honoured for an ‘outstanding’ contribution to his Portsmouth workplace.
Recreation assistant Daniel Read, 19, came joint runner-up in the Apprentice of the Year category at the south east region Learning and Skills Awards run by the Learning and Skills Council.
Mr Read, who works at the Portsmouth Marriott Hotel leisure club and communicates through sign language, beat off more than 1,000 entries to finish highly commended in the top three places.
Judges praised Mr Read’s ‘outstanding commitment to personal development, learning and his employer’. As well as an NVQ Level 2 in leisure operations, Mr Read holds a lifeguard certificate in spite of his deafness.
Mr Read, of Wedgewood Way, Waterlooville, said: “The award doesn’t only recognise my hard work but also the support and encouragement I receive from my dad, my employer and my training provider.”
Anthea Fry, of Mr Read’s training provider Catch22 South East Training, said: “Dan is a prime example of a young person who has beaten the odds to take forward a career in the leisure industry. His apprenticeship shows you can attain the skills you need and the education you deserve to enjoy better job prospects.”
Lorna Renouf, Human Resources Manager at Portsmouth Marriott Hotel, said: “Dan is a popular member of the team at our leisure club and he makes a really positive contribution to our work. We are really proud of the recognition he has received.”
Discussing the awards, the Learning and Skills Council’s south east regional director, Marinos Paphitis, said: “The individuals and organisations we are looking to acknowledge make an enormous contribution to the regional economy and the well being of their local communities. They make the south east a better place for all of us to live and work in – and that’s something worth celebrating.”
Catch22 South East Training is the Portsmouth-based training division of national charity Catch22. Catch22 South East Training is funded by the Learning and Skills Council and approved as a training provider by CYQ, EDI, City & Guilds, HSE, EdExcel and NCFE. For over 25 years it has been helping young people to make a positive start in their careers through training programmes, skills development and apprenticeships. It was previously called Rainer South East Training.
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