Apprentices from across the Savills business came together to celebrate their hard work and commitment.
The fourth annual Savills Apprenticeship Awards were held in the firm's Margaret Street head office to coincide with National Apprenticeship Week.
Around 140 employees – including apprentices, their managers and other colleagues – attended the event.
A total of 10 awards were handed out in categories including Rising Star, Making an Impact, Innovation & Creativity, Outstanding Achievement, Customer Service and Employer’s Choice.
The apprentices’ mentors were also recognised with the Manager’s Award and Future Talent Champion.
Hosted by Professional Apprenticeships Manager Serena Phillips and Head of Future Talent Naomi Chandler, the afternoon included an inspiring talk from broadcaster and Radio 1 Extra DJ Richie Brave.
Current apprentices and previous award winners Leon Badu and Alice Chan also spoke about their time working at Savills, while Henry Parks and Iyabo Johnson discussed the difficult task of choosing the award winners.
Apprentice surveyor Adil Hussain, who works in the Global Occupier Services team in Margaret Street, was one of two winners for both the Making an Impact and Employer’s Choice awards.
“I was delighted to win the awards and it was really refreshing seeing all the lovely testimonials from clients and colleagues,” he said. “It just shows that the hard work never goes unnoticed and it was a reminder of how far I have come.
“The apprenticeship has been really rewarding and I have seen so many benefits compared to the conventional university route. I have been much more outward facing, taking on a lot of responsibility and reporting direct to clients. The autonomy and trust I have from colleagues is really appreciated.
“The workload can get difficult sometimes, especially balancing it with studies during assignment season. I find having a ‘to do’ list and ranking which tasks are most pressing helps to keep me on track.”
Katie Gilhooly, apprentice surveyor with the Birmingham Development team, picked up the Customer Service award.
“The apprenticeship has been extremely rewarding and it was amazing to win the award,” she said. “It’s great to know that my contributions are adding positively to my team’s output and that others have recognised this.
“The apprenticeship has given me the opportunity to learn both on the job and in an academic sense – working alongside and learning from lots of different people on several interesting projects.
“Planning ahead and keeping colleagues informed of my workload has been a huge help and allowed both myself and my team to better prioritise tasks, ensuring they’re completed on time and to a high standard.”
Joshua Aderele began a financial analyst apprenticeship with the Housing Treasury team in Margaret Street in September.
Commenting on winning the Recognition award, he said: “To have won this award while still in my probationary period was an honour. It's amazing to be commended for the hard work I've put in, especially in such a short space of time.
“From the outset, I have focused on making a meaningful contribution, taking ownership of my responsibilities and continuously looking for ways to add value. To have that effort acknowledged has been motivating and reinforces my commitment to keep developing and delivering at a high standard.
“What I’ve valued most is the combination of real responsibility and strong support. I’ve been encouraged to take ownership and step outside my comfort zone, while learning from experienced colleagues around me.”
Savills currently has 296 employees undertaking apprenticeships in all divisions of the business.
Managing Director of Savills UK Richard Rees, who presented the Employer’s Choice award, congratulated all the apprentices on their achievements.
“Our apprenticeship programme continues to go from strength to strength and these awards are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate everyone’s tremendous hard work and recognise those who continue to go above and beyond,” he said.
“Our people are at the heart of our business and crucial to our ongoing success. It is incredibly important to provide alternative routes into the property sector – encouraging a diversity of thought and range of perspectives that ensures we remain the property advisor of choice for our clients.”
WINNERS
Rising Star
Elena Hayward (Surveyor – Rural & Projects – Telford)
Apprentice Ambassador
Carina Couto (Sales co-ordinator – Residential Sales – Teddington)
Making an Impact
Adil Hussain (Surveyor – Global Occupier Services – Margaret Street) & Mia Donnelly (Project manager – Building and Project Consultancy – Margaret Street)
Outstanding Achievement
Georgie Rodgers (Site income analyst – Property Management – Manchester Booth Street)
Innovation & Creativity
Jemima Bond (Administrator – The Hive – One Church Road)
Customer Service
Katie Gilhooly (Surveyor – Development – Birmingham)
Recognition
Joshua Aderele (Financial analyst – Housing Treasury – Margaret Street)
Manager’s Award
Danielle Fearnon (Head of Lettings Academy – One Church Road)
Future Talent Champion
Angus Miller (Global Occupier Services – Margaret Street)
Employer’s Choice
Adil Hussain (Surveyor – Global Occupier Services – Margaret Street) & Georgie Rodgers (Site income analyst – Property Management – Manchester Booth Street)