Apprenticeship Awards: Winners

21 January 2022

FE Week & AELP AAC Apprenticeship Awards 2022

 We are super proud to congratulate:

 All Spring Media
 As national winners in the category: Creative & Design Apprenticeship provider of the year

  Amy Smith, Framestore
  Was Highly Commended in the category: Outstanding contribution to the development of apprenticeships (individual)

  Both All Spring Media and Amy Smith were nominated by creative industry specialist EPAO, AIM Assessment.


All Spring Media

Karen Hedger, a Business Development Lead at AIM said  “It was a pleasure to put All Spring Media forward for this award. In All Spring Media we have found not only efficiency in process, but practice that embraces the opportunities to encourage the highest possible success rate that goes beyond any contractual relationship with us on behalf of the employers. Martina and her team really care about every single apprentice and every single employer. The huge increase in apprentice starts and achievements is testimony to the faith that employers place in them.”

As an organisation embedded in the sector AIM constantly seeks to further the position of apprenticeships and support for employers through networking and research. All Spring Media has worked in partnership with AIM on numerous occasions, including on the first Education and Training Foundation Outstanding Teaching, Learning and Assessment (OTLA) funded project relating to end-point assessment. Such is their position and regard by the sector and its Trailblazer groups, their advice has been integral to the development of new and reviewed standards.

On hearing the news, Martina Porter, Managing Director of All Spring Media said: “We were thrilled to be nominated in the category of Creative and Design Apprenticeship provider of the year. The last 12 months has seen a phenomenal growth in apprenticeships within this sector and we are proud to be at the forefront of this growth. Our sector faces a significant skills challenge over the coming months and we have made it our mission to show how apprenticeships can deliver a skilled and diverse workforce.”
 

Amy Smith, Head of Talent, Framestore

Karen Hedger, who nominated Amy said  “We were really delighted to have this opportunity to nominate Amy for this award. Amy has shown tireless commitment to developing the talent pipeline for the visual effects industry and has been a champion for apprenticeships across the creative industries since the earliest introduction of Standards”.

Amy commented " I am very honoured that AIM thought to nominate me and to even be considered a finalist in this category is a wonderful accomplishment. Apprenticeships are critical to the future of our industry and it has been a tough but very rewarding experience to be involved in their development”.

“For me apprenticeships are hugely important for two reasons: the first is that we are an industry which currently struggles with a diverse workforce. In part this is because we are over 90% degree educated. Apprenticeships give us the opportunity to redress this balance. The other reason is that we are a rapidly growing industry in the UK and apprenticeships help us to reinforce the pipeline”.

Personally modest, Amy's reputation as a key figure in spearheading apprenticeships across the screen industry is second to none and she is always willing to share her wealth of knowledge, understanding and practical experience of employing and supporting apprentices.

Talents and achievements

Amy Worked at NextGen Skills Academy when it was first established, contributing to the development of new Level 3 qualifications and apprenticeships for the VFX, animation and games industries. She was the lead employer and Trailblazer Chair for the very first Assistant Technical Director and Junior 2D Artist Standard for the visual effects industry and has chaired the Trailblazer development for another three VFX apprenticeships at Levels 4, 6 and 7. In her role as Head of Talent at Framestore, Amy has expanded her remit to establish new entry and progression apprenticeship routes for a diverse talent pool in an inclusive workplace. She is an active member of the NextGen Employer Steering Group and Non-Executive Director at Access VFX. Amy has a seat on the Board of the AIM Qualifications and Assessment Group, the EPAO for all of the VFX Standards. She is also Chair of the T-Level panel for Media, Broadcast and Production and a Speaker for Schools. She has supported bodies such as the British Games Institute and UK Screen with the promotion of apprenticeships.

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