JOINER James Hewitt is Rease-heath College's Apprentice of the Year.

The 24-year-old from Malpas received the accolade at the college's apprentice awards evening on Thursday.

Assistant principal Geoff Briggs, who sponsored theaward,commendedJames for being both an excellent student and a first class employee.

James, of Chorlton Lane, an employee of Tarporley building firm Matrec Developments Ltd, is among 37 trainees to completequalifications thisyearbyworking four days a week and studying at the college one day a week.

He gained the nationally recognised Advanced Modern Apprenticeship in construction.

Principal Meredydd David told a packed audience of family and employers that combining a job with study at college was a demanding challenge.

He stressed that the government was starting to recognise the importance of vocational training.

Successful trainees received certificates from George Roberts, who won this year's national Learning and Skills Council's Small Employer Award. George, who runs Malpas building firm G A Roberts and Son, has 18 employees - the majority trained or being trained at Reaseheath.

He was selected following a nationwide search to find business owners who have shown exceptional commitment to training and developing skills.

Successful trainees included: Advanced modern apprenticeships -Agriculture, Richard Beck, Peter Cope, Shaun Slack;Construction,JamesHewitt, James Miller.

Foundation modern apprenticeships-Horticulture, Daniel Evans, James Lawton, Matthew Loftus, Matthew Nugent, Chris Oldham, Andrew Watson, Geoff Wood, David Forrester, Stephen O'Reilly, ClintEvans,Jenny Sims,CarlMurphy,Lee Dalton, Daniel Acton; Sports turf, Craig Callwood, Dean Johnson, James Billington, Matthew Nield, Barry Wood, Craig Williams, Robert Cooper; Equine, Helen Dillnutt, Michaela Wyatt; Animal Care, Kimberley Hughes, Chan Stokes, Gemma Stowell; Construction, David Atkinson, Gary Brisbourne, Andrew McLaughlin, James Mitchell, Alan Shambrook, Andrew Dorricot

Certificates of Endeavour-Horticulture, Scott Ashton, David Burrows, Tom Haughey; Construction, Gary Brisbourne, James Hewitt, Andrew McLaughlin.