Published: Mon 20 May 2024 at 10:05
An apprentice from Jet2.com and Jet2holidays has been named West Yorkshire Higher Apprentice of the Year 2024.
Leo Girdlestone, former Business Analyst Apprentice at the UK’s largest tour operator and leading leisure airline, was announced as the winner of the Higher Apprentice of the Year category in the awards ceremony that took place on 9th May at the Cedar Court Hotel in Bradford.
Joining Jet2.com and Jet2holidays as a Business Analyst Apprentice in September 2022, Leo has recently passed his apprenticeship to secure a permanent position as a Business Systems Analyst. As part of his role at the tour operator and airline, Leo is responsible for gathering, analysing and documenting the businesses’ IT requirement and sourcing third party solutions to meet their needs.
Commenting on why Leo was selected as a winner, the judges said: “Leo’s apprenticeship journey at Jet2 highlights ambition and dedication. He plays a pivotal role in IT project management and actively champions apprenticeships while embodying Jet2's core values.”
The West Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards recognise and reward the achievements of exceptional apprentices, apprenticeship champions and apprenticeship employers from across the region. The awards ceremony also saw Jet2.com and Jet2holidays reach the finals across a total of five categories:
Reflecting on his achievement, Leo said: “I was incredibly honoured to be nominated for this award by my colleagues and to win was the icing on the cake! Since joining Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, I have tried to grasp every opportunity that has come my way, whether it be through the Emerging Talent team or the Apprentice Ambassador Network. Some of my best experiences have been engaging with schools and colleges to promote apprenticeships and their endless benefits. Being surrounded by experienced professionals at Jet2 who value my contribution has been incredibly rewarding. This experience has reinforced my dedication to championing apprenticeships and I'm determined to continue being an advocate.”
Katie Rankin, Emerging Talent & Careers Manager at Jet2.com and Jet2holidays (Co-Chair Yorkshire & Humber Apprenticeship Ambassador Network), said: “It was fantastic to have Jet2.com and Jet2holidays recognised as finalists in these prestigious awards and receive Highly Commended in the Large Employer category. This is testament to the exceptional efforts of our Emerging Talent team, and the invaluable support provided by managers and mentors to our apprentices throughout their journey. I was delighted to be able to celebrate with Leo, Jude and Cerys who were all deserving finalists, and it has been a pleasure to see them develop over the course of their apprenticeships. These awards recognise the hard work and dedication they put into their roles, seizing every opportunity to get involved and being true ambassadors for apprenticeships. I know they will all go far in their careers with Jet2.”
Currently, Jet2.com and Jet2holidays has 194 apprentices on-programme in over 34 different apprenticeship standards across the business including Finance, Engineering, HR, IT, Marketing, Operations Control, Health & Safety, Ground Operations, Contact Centre and Procurement, ranging from Level 2-7. To date, all former apprentices have progressed into permanent roles within the business.
All apprentices at Jet2.com and Jet2holidays receive nationally recognised qualifications with bespoke internal business development and industry exposure. A diverse range of opportunities are available for candidates at any age or stage of their career, from new people entering the industry age 16+ to existing colleagues to support their career progression.
For further information on Jet2.com and Jet2holidays apprenticeship programmes, please visit https://jet2careers.com/emerging-talent-careers/
