Kirk Gracey, an advanced mechanic apprentice studying at City College Plymouth, has been crowned the overall Apprentice of the Year by the Training Provider Network (TPN).

His award falls within National Apprenticeship Week, which runs from Monday 1 February to Friday 5 February, and celebrates the talents and skills of apprentices.  It’s an event that sees apprentices, employers, providers and all those involved with Apprenticeship programmes come together to celebrate the value of Apprenticeships.

The TPN awarded family man, Kirk, for his sheer perseverance, persistence and determination to succeed, which was shown throughout his Apprenticeship.

As Kirk left school at the age of 16 with no formal qualifications, and he chose to work at a garage for two years before he feltfeeling confident enough to start an Apprenticeship. It took him three years to complete his Apprenticeship, and whilst he was aware that he would struggle with the academic aspects of an advanced Apprenticeship programme, he was determined to succeed no matter how long it took.

As Kirk says: “I found it hard to juggle work, college and family life, especially once my daughter arrived. Also, the key skills didn’t come naturally to me so I had to put in the extra work with my college tutor to ensure that I had a good understanding.”

Sue Reed at City College Plymouth said: “We’re really proud of Kirk, he’s worked really hard throughout his Apprenticeship and is thoroughly deserving of this accolade.”