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Former Goldsmiths’ apprentice Benjamin Pritchard has been named the Goldsmiths’ Young Apprentice of the Year.
The medal, which Pritchard picked up from Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, at the Prince Philip Medal Awards Ceremony at Buckingham Palace, depicts the leopard head of the Livery Company’s coat of arms and was designed by 18-year-old Maisie Sale.
The award recognises excellence in vocational skills and career progression.
Pritchard completed a five-year apprenticeship as a diamond mounter at Emson Haig and represented the UK in 2015 at the WorldSkills in São Paolo, Brazil, receiving a Medal of Excellence in Jewellery Making.
He has continued to be an ambassador for WorldSkills and the Goldsmiths’ Company Apprentice Scheme, which supports over 30 young people in the trade and is delivered by the Goldsmiths’ Centre.
Pritchard said: “I am thrilled to have received the Young Apprentice of the Year Award. It recognises the support that I have received from my master and the Goldsmiths’ Centre through the Goldsmiths’ Company Apprentice Scheme.
“I hope that I can inspire the next generation of the UK’s workforce and showcase how apprenticeships and training can lead to successful employment opportunities.”
