Search for
Search for
Search forRetail apprentice Tony, 18, makes top award finals
Monday, September 15, 2008, 11:30
Tony Luke set up Tony's Interiors in St Austell's Market House when he was 15.
Now 18, Tony was one of only four finalists in the Skillsmart Retail Apprentice of the Year Award which held it's glitzy awards ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London earlier this month.
He was nominated for the award by his Cornwall College Business (CCB) liaison officer Chris White.
Theo Paphitis, business tycoon and judge on the BBC show Dragons' Den presented the award at the Retail Week 'Rising Stars' ceremony and commended Tony on his enthusiasm and entrepreneurial skills.
Tony said: "This feels amazing.
"The apprenticeship helped me so much and to be commended for how I worked is brilliant.
"Before I hid in the background but the course brought me forward, now I'm mingling with customers and inspiring others to do the course."
Theo Paphitis reinforced the importance of the programme when presenting the award, saying: "There's no question that retail is a fantastic career, but like all careers it needs professionalism and there's no better method of training somebody than through a retail apprenticeship."
Tony is just one of thousands of people in the UK who take up the retail apprenticeship programme every year, giving them on-the-job retail knowledge as well as key skills such as communication and numeracy.
Chris White said: "Tony has exceeded all of our expectations, and as his knowledge and confidence has grown during the apprenticeship, so has the success of his business."
John Latham, principal, Cornwall College, also extended his congratulations: "I am delighted to be able to congratulate Tony on his achievements, both at the awards and for his business.
"Tony has again proven the importance of apprenticeships as a way of young people gaining the skills they need to have a successful career."
Anyone interested in an apprenticeship can visit www.ccb.cornwall.ac.uk for more information or call 0800 731 7594.
For information about retail apprenticeships, visit www.skillsmartretail.com/careers or www.apprenticeships.gov.uk.
Tony Luke receives his award from Theo Paphitis.
Comment on this story