Congratulations to Winner of Apprentice of the Year at the 2025 Rochford Business Awards!
Backing Essex Business is delighted to announce that Wendy Maslen from The King Edmund School has been named Apprentice of the Year at the Rochford Business Awards 2025. Having sponsored the category this year, Backing Essex Business is thrilled to highlight the contributions Wendy has made in her role, and her inspiring story that celebrates the potential of apprenticeships while making a difference in the community.
The Rochford Business Awards, which takes place annually, celebrates the achievements of local businesses and individuals who have demonstrated excellence in their fields. The awards ceremony took place on 13 February 2025 at The Rayleigh Club, and celebrated all the winners and finalists across 10 categories in an event that showcased the best that Rochford has to offer – including multiple local sponsors and businesses who also came to show their support.
Wendy Maslen, an exemplary Careers Advisor at The King Edmund School (KES), was named the winner of Apprentice of the Year Award for 2025 –recognising Wendy's exceptional contributions to student career guidance at the school, and her innovative approach to education that is making a difference to students while also showing the possibilities that are achievable with apprenticeships as a means of career path.
Wendy, who has been with The King Edmund School for 18 years, recently completed Level 6 Careers Advice and Guidance apprenticeship, and in her role, she has already significantly enhanced the school's career support services - ensuring that every student is well-prepared for their future. As well as the value her role creates for the school, by utilising the Apprenticeship Levy available in Essex, Wendy has also enabled the school to save approximately £25,000 by bringing the careers service in-house.
In addition to this, Wendy gained commendation from Ofsted in the first few months of her new role – with Ofsted commenting that her passion for inspiring the next generation of workers shone through. On a roll, Wendy is also in the process of creating a careers clinic for parents of her students, where parents are able to learn how they can better support their children’s future career decisions – setting the foundations for a profound impact on students and families in the local community.
Backing Essex Business, who offer fully funded support for businesses in Essex, were delighted to have the opportunity to sponsor the Apprentice of the Year category at the 2025 Rochford Business Awards. Committed to championing and supporting businesses in the county, Backing Essex Business also focuses on skills development and is passionate about the long term prosperity of Essex and its residents – regularly working with other organisations to create a prosperous economic landscape and opportunities for growth in the future.
Winning the title of Apprentice of the Year 2025 at the Rochford District Business Awards brings much deserved recognition to Wendy's role and highlights the importance of career guidance in shaping the futures of young people. Congratulations Wendy!
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