Spotlighting tech superstars at the DevelopHER Awards

The DevelopHER Awards is an annual awards event that aims to raise the profile of women working in the technology sector across the East Anglia region to create role models and inspire the next generation of developers, technicians, project managers, testers and digital experts.

Proudly supporting apprenticeships

We were proud to sponsor the evening’s first award, the Apprentice Award, celebrating the success apprentices are having in the world of tech.

The three shortlisted candidates for the award were: Emmanuelle Gammage, Sveta Klimova and Jessica Shackley. All three were praised for the impressive feedback they had received from colleagues and how they have supported their organisations to continuously improve. The Award was won by Emmanuelle Gammage, who has been working at tech solutions company Midwich.

The Apprentice Award judges last night described how Emmanuelle encompasses many of the attributes that an apprenticeship has to offer. “She has developed a massive breadth of skills since joining the company and the judges were impressed that she’s clearly continued to focus on developing these. The career progression that she’s made so far is admirable, especially over a relatively short amount of time; and the confidence in the tasks she has taken on was clear in the way she talks about her apprenticeship.”

Presenting the award was Cambridge’s global design director and an apprentice Sponsor, Scott Parker who said: “Apprenticeships are a fantastic opportunity for people to develop skills and knowledge while providing hands-on experience and active learning in the workplace. Apprenticeships are rapidly becoming a popular alternative to a university degree as an entry into a successful career. Repeatedly we are seeing apprentices progress speedily after their first placement. The need for a skilled and diverse technical workforce across the region, country and world is vital if we are going to tackle the challenges the world presents us.”

The need for a skilled and diverse technical workforce across the region, country and world is vital if we are going to tackle the challenges the world presents us.

Encouraging confidence and skills for the future

Cambridge has sponsored the DevelopHER Apprentice Award for the past four years. The award is open to those who haven’t been to university and are currently an apprentice or have been one in the past two years - either working in a tech role or at a tech business. The award winner is judged on skills taken up during the apprenticeship, the impact the apprentice has had on the business, examples of their work, and more.

We have a strong commitment to encouraging apprentices and apprenticeships. Apprentices join Cambridge each year, and many of our colleagues take apprenticeships as part of their professional development. To support this, we have appointed apprentice sponsors, like Scott - in every part of the organisation.

Last night’s annual awards were hosted and organised by its founder, Vickie Allen, who spoke with great passion about “when you lack self-belief, what a confidence boost and difference to your future winning an award can make”.

Congratulations to all of last night's nominees including our inspirational 2022 Apprentice Award winner, Emmanuelle Gammage. We wish her all the best in her future career and look forward to seeing what she goes on to do in the world of tech.