National Apprenticeship Week – highlighting our Apprentice-ship+ recipients

This National Apprenticeship Week, we are highlighting the two recipients of our pilot Apprenticeship+ project, launched last year in partnership with the Hugo Burge Foundation. The scheme supplements two apprenticeships in their first year with a financial contribution to the apprentices’ salaries and a grant to help compensate the employers for the reduction in their earnings during the training period.

One of our recipients is Katie Gunn, who is training her apprentice, Amelie Priestman, in jewellery making at her business KatieAnnDesigns in Gosport. Amelie is completing the Jewellery, Silversmithing and Allied Trades Professional Apprenticeship overseen by the British Academy of Jewellery.

Katie Gunn says:

“For me, mentoring an apprentice is about passing on traditional techniques while encouraging curiosity and creative thinking. Seeing someone develop their skills, confidence and design voice at the bench is incredibly rewarding. It feels important to be part of keeping these skills alive, while also showing how heritage techniques can evolve in modern, sustainable ways.

Alongside these creative projects, my apprentice is also assisting with real workshop jobs such as repairs and resizing, gaining an understanding of the standards and care required in professional jewellery making.”

Our other recipient is Sue Humphries, who is training her apprentice, Lewis Judd, in stained glass at Dan Humphreys Studio in Somerset. Lewis is completing the Stained Glass Craftsperson Apprenticeship overseen by the University of Wales Trinity St David.

Sue Humphries says: 

“As our business grows, with stained glass on the Red List and a lack of training providers, we have had a problem recruiting staff. The bursary we have received has enabled us to find an apprentice and help us with all the costs of sending him away to Swansea to learn from the excellent team there as well as in house training here in our workshop. So it’s a win for us and the craft of stained glass to be taking on someone completely new to the craft.”