1V APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR 2026
SPONSORED BY
The Apprentice of the Year Award will acknowledge and celebrate an apprentice’s contribution to their workplace. To enter this category, you must either be currently undertaking that level (as of 1st November 2025) or have completed it since 1 July 2025.
He/she should show commitment to their personal and professional development and carry a positive and professional attitude.
This award was launched in 2025 and entrants for this category have usually completed more than 50% of their current apprenticeship and also need to provide a reference from their employer.
Employers can also nominate apprentices who have made an outstanding contribution to the workplace in a short space of time. The apprentice will be showing promising progress.
The Apprentice of the Year Award is open to those living or working in Blackburn with Darwen.
HERE ARE YOUR 2026 FINALISTS
Chloe
Booth
Chloe Booth is a committed and hardworking Payroll & Pensions Assistant, known for her professionalism, dedication, and caring nature. She achieves excellence in every task she undertakes, ensuring employees are supported and paid accurately, contributing to the smooth operation of the wider community services.
This summer, Chloe achieved a Distinction in her Apprenticeship, reflecting her commitment, determination, and high standard of work. Throughout her course, she received consistent praise from her college tutor and colleagues for completing tasks ahead of deadlines, asking insightful questions, and understanding not only what needed to be done but why it mattered. She regularly offers support and guidance to team members, demonstrating leadership and teamwork beyond her role.
Chloe also dedicates her time to community causes. She has raised £550 for Derian House Children’s Hospice by completing a skydiving challenge in support of her sister, Leah, and is currently undertaking a 10km swim for Cancer Research, exemplifying her commitment to helping others.
Her combination of professional excellence, personal dedication, and community engagement sets Chloe apart. She consistently goes above and beyond in both her work and charitable efforts, making her a deserving nominee for recognition in her field.
Caitlin
Boyle
Caitlin Boyle has made a significant impact within her work community by overhauling key processes, creating consistency across workflows and greatly improving efficiency. These changes have had a direct positive effect on the taxi drivers she supports, reducing timescales and providing greater stability for managing their businesses. As a result, there are fewer follow-ups and complaints, and the community now benefits from a more reliable and streamlined approach.
In addition to transforming operational processes, Caitlin actively contributes to the Young Persons and Early Careers Network. By sharing her experiences and insights, she provides guidance and support to colleagues navigating early career challenges. Her involvement has been highly valued, helping others build confidence, develop skills, and make informed decisions about their professional growth.
Through both process improvements and engagement with the network, Caitlin demonstrates a strong commitment to supporting and empowering others. Her work has strengthened community relationships, improved operational outcomes, and fostered collaboration and learning among colleagues.
This combination of operational impact, mentorship, and leadership highlights Caitlin Boyle’s dedication to both improving systems and supporting people, creating a lasting contribution to the workplace and the wider community.
Aaminah Karolia
Aaminah is a 21-year-old digital marketing professional from Blackburn who is passionate about giving back to her community and celebrating the people, places, and stories that make it special. She has demonstrated creativity, resilience, and dedication, bringing energy and innovation to every project she undertakes.
Over the last year, Aaminah has developed engaging, community-focused campaigns, including a photographer-focused social media initiative that gave local artists a platform to showcase their work, and the VE Day crochet post box topper displayed on King William Street. She also celebrated her first published article in The Shuttle and was honoured with the Superglue Staff Award 2024.
Living with dyslexia has strengthened her determination and drive, shaping her positive attitude and willingness to take on new challenges. Aaminah is known for her creativity, technical skill, and her ability to tell the stories of her community in a way that inspires and engages others.
Outside of work, she enjoys crocheting, baking, photographing nature, and spending time with family. Her commitment to empowering her community, paired with her creativity and initiative, makes Aaminah a truly deserving finalist for One Voice Young Person of the Year.
Nico
Novello
Nico Novello is a dedicated Level 2 Barber apprentice who consistently demonstrates passion, professionalism, and a strong commitment to personal development. Known for his excellent work ethic, Nico applies himself fully both in the salon and during college, always approaching new opportunities with enthusiasm and determination.
Throughout his apprenticeship, Nico has shown a willingness to step forward and take on challenges that others may shy away from. Earlier this year, he proudly represented his college at the Concept event alongside his tutor, Kelly—an experience that pushed him out of his comfort zone and further strengthened his motivation to succeed. This opportunity played a key role in his growth, inspiring him to continually refine his skills and raise his standards.
Nico has a natural ability to build strong relationships with clients, enabling him to establish a loyal and growing client base. His caring approach, combined with outstanding communication skills, ensures consistently high levels of client care and satisfaction. Actively engaging in every practical session, Nico is always striving to improve his craft.
Reliable, passionate, and driven, Nico is a valued member of the salon team and a deserving finalist, setting an excellent example of what a modern apprentice barber should aspire to be.
1V APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR 2024
WINNER Aaliyah Maulvi
Aaliyah Maulvi was the 1V Apprentice of the Year 2024 Sponsored by Electricity Northwest.
Aaliyah has been an apprentice for Blackburn with Darwen for12 months. Her professional journey at the council began as an apprentice working in both the Child Protection (CP) and the Looked After Children (LAC) teams within Business Operations. Aaliyah was selected to help recruit more apprentices as part of her team at a public council event, exhibiting her dedication that led to positive feedback from heads of services. Her position as a junior apprentice has matured into a seamlessly highly valued team member.
“I feel privileged and grateful for the opportunity and honoured to have won an award from an organisation such as One Voice Blackburn,” said 19 year old Aaliyah Molvi.
THE FINALISTS
Sufyaan Asghar
Sufyaan Asghar is a determined 19-year-old mechatronics engineering apprentice. He works for Pets choice in Blackburn and studies at Training 2000. Sufyaan has always been good at solving problems and tackles complex issues with a practical approach and a history of finding effective solutions. While working in a maintenance environment, he has encountered some challenges, but his approach has always been to embrace these obstacles as opportunities for learning and improvement. Being an apprentice has provided Sufyaan with some meaningful skills about handling challenges and staying open to learning. Once at the point of completing his apprenticeship Sufyaan is committed to a continuous journey of learning and improvement as an engineer.
His vision extends beyond this milestone and he seeks to progress further in the industry, eager to embrace new challenges and opportunities to grow.
Harry Bennett Courland
Harry is a member of the Asset and Commercial Estates Team at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, providing support to surveyors and technical staff who manage all council owned land and buildings. A big part of Harry’s role is to help manage all the council’s records for ownership and responsibility. He has recently worked on a data audit to make sure all the information the department has is correct and up to date. This involved cross-referencing information from the asset record system (Concerto) and the billing system (Civica) to tidy up old records and clear up any aged debt. He has also involved managed part of the minor tenancies portfolio, this consists of over 1050 garage and garden plots. Harry has worked extremely hard, in sometimes a challenging environment, to ensure plots are utilised in an appropriate manner whilst proactively agreeing new lettings to increase occupation and provide health and wellbeing opportunities to local residents.
Aaliyah Maulvi
Aaliyah has been an apprentice for Blackburn with Darwen for the past 12 months. Her professional journey at the council began as an apprentice working in both the Child Protection (CP) and the Looked After Children (LAC) teams within Business Operations. The rich experience of the last year has highlighted just how integral and impactful children’s social care is. Aaliyah is always willing to learn other tasks, support her team and wider Business Operations area. Aaliyah has quickly become a trusted member of the team. Aaliyah demonstrates a mature and professional attitude at all times, and is an outstanding role model for other apprentices. Aaliyah was selected to help recruit more apprentices as part of her team at a public council event, exhibiting her dedication that led to positive feedback from heads of services. Following this there were a notable amount of interest on the apprentice positions. Her position as a junior apprentice has matured into a seamlessly highly valued team member.
Roisa McCusker
Roisa began her apprenticeship at YPS in 2021. This was the first time YPS recruited for a ring-fenced care leaver. From the minute Roisa started she instantly had a huge effect on not only her colleagues but the children, young people and families she worked with. Roisa easily adapted to the team and the numerous targeted projects provided such as working with children with disabilities, children in care and the Targeted Youth Support Programme. Roisa represented views of care leavers in Blackburn with Darwen at numerous strategic boards and was instrumental to the positive changes within the leaving care service. Roisa was also involved within the recruitment of new employees for the council and participated in young people’s interview panels along with providing Total Respect training for staff. Roisa attended the national care leavers benchmarking event in Brentford in 2023 and performed an emotive but powerful poem about what it is like to be a child and young person in the care system.
The Apprentice of the Year Award will acknowledge and celebrate an apprentice’s contribution to their workplace.
To enter this category, you must either be currently undertaking that level (as at 1st November 2023) or have completed it since 1 July 2023.
This is a new award in 2024 and entrants for this category have usually completed more than 50% of their current apprenticeship and also required a reference from their employer.
Employers were also able nominate apprentices who have made an outstanding contribution to the workplace in a short space of time.
The Apprentice of the Year Award was open to those living or working in Blackburn with Darwen. This is a new award for 2024.
