HIT Heroes

Unmasking talent in the hospitality
and retail industry

Celebrating the Heroes of Apprenticeships

Welcome to the HIT Training Heroes Awards – where we celebrate the exceptional apprentices and employers shaping the future of hospitality and retail.

Every month, our local teams honour individuals and employers who bring energy, creativity, and leadership to their apprenticeships and workplaces. These awards spotlight the real stories behind the qualifications – recognising those who go above and beyond to deliver outstanding service, inspire others, and drive positive change in their industries.

To become a HIT Training Hero, learners and employers must be nominated by their local HIT Training team – a true mark of excellence and impact.

Giving Back Through Recognition

Every recognised Hero chooses a charity to receive a £10 donation. These small acts of kindness add up – creating real impact in communities across the UK.

Our Charities

Supporting young people into careers in hospitality, leisure and tourism through education and training.

Only a Pavement Away is a charity founded by representatives from the hospitality industry who believe that everyone deserves the chance to find and forge a career.

Launched in May 2019 The Burnt Chef Project was setup with the sole intention of eradicating mental health stigma within hospitality.

So far we have raised:

£410

Hall of fame

Meet the Heroes – learners and employers recognised for their dedication, passion, and impact.

Roll over cards to view more details

  • Learner

    Ben Hargreaves

    Hospitality

    Region

    Midlands

    Ben Hargreaves's Story

    Ben is an advocate for apprenticeships. Ben has supported his team and developed their talent through continuing to give them the opportunity to achieve an apprenticeship.

  • Employer

    RAF Shawbury (Compass)

    Hospitality

    Region

    West Midlands

    RAF Shawbury (Compass)'s Story

    The support that RAF Shawsbury (Compass) offer apprentices is next level, and have a long standing relationship with HIT.

  • Learner

    Emilijus Kregzde

    Hospitality

    Region

    North East

    Emilijus Kregzde's Story

    Despite English not being his first language, Emilijus has successfully achieved English Level 2 alongside completing a challenging Level 4 Senior Culinary Chef apprenticeship. He has attended every session, completed all tasks on time, and has built an impressive portfolio.

  • Employer

    St Monica Trust

    Hospitality

    Region

    South West

    St Monica Trust's Story

    St Monica’s Trust is a leading organisation recognised for its dedicated staff who go above and beyond to create meaningful relationships with residents and customers.

    The Trust has truly embraced apprenticeships at every level - from foundation programmes to higher qualifications in Health & Social Care, Business Administration, Operations Management and Hospitality. Their commitment is clear, not only in the consistent support given to apprentices but also in the way they have championed apprenticeships to senior management, highlighting the lasting value of ongoing training and development.

  • Learner

    Scott Lane

    Hospitality

    Region

    South Gloucester

    Scott Lane's Story

    From the very start of his apprenticeship, Scott has demonstrated dedication, enthusiasm, and a real commitment to his development, and it’s been wonderful to see how much he has grown. As he now moves towards his end‑point assessment, I have every confidence that his hard work and determination will lead him to a successful outcome.

  • Learner

    Thomas Clark

    Hospitality

    Region

    West Midlands

    Thomas Clark's Story

    Tom has progressed consistently on his HOM L5 qualification, demonstrating his skills in managing financial budgets, building relationships with his school clients, overseeing a number of schools, including high schools, colleges, and primary schools, and being able to adjust his approach to work with diverse teams and different audiences.

  • Learner

    Gary Boundary

    Hospitality

    Region

    Midlands

    Gary Boundary's Story

    A proactive and dedicated learner, Gary consistently completes his work to a high standard and goes above and beyond with personal research.

  • Learner

    Lawson Bloom

    Hospitality

    Region

    South

    Lawson Bloom's Story

    With the support of our specialist SENDCo team, Lawson’s determination has never wavered. He’s building his portfolio, growing in confidence and proving that passion and perseverance lead to success. His hard work has been recognised as he’s been named Learner of the Month by the Chilterns team!

  • Learner

    Sophie Maltby

    Hospitality

    Region

    South

    Sophie Maltby's Story

    Since starting her apprenticeship in January 2025, Sophie has been an exemplary learner - consistently engaged, highly motivated, and excelling in her front-of-house role at this much-loved venue.

  • Learner

    Cara Evans

    Hospitality

    Region

    South West

    Cara Evans's Story

    Cara has developed at remarkable pace, building confidence, taking on increasing responsibility, and quickly becoming a vital presence within the organisation.

  • Learner

    Keegan Swann

    Hospitality

    Region

    South East

    Keegan Swann's Story

    Throughout his apprenticeship Keegan has shown outstanding commitment - always submitting work on time, embracing feedback and seizing every opportunity to develop.

  • Learner

    Charley Buttress

    Hospitality

    Region

    South West

    Charley Buttress's Story

    From managing stock and ordering to supporting functions and helping interview new team members, Charley has remained a steady and respected presence in her workplace. She has continued to engage with her apprenticeship, diligently working on her portfolio and expanding her skills.

  • Learner

    Sky Wall

    Hospitality

    Region

    South

    Sky Wall's Story

    Sky's big milestone was achieved when she attended her Speaking & Listening exam, where, as the youngest participant, she gave a fantastic presentation about her art with amazing confidence and passion.

  • Learner

    Ben Hargreaves

    Hospitality

    Region

    Midlands

    Ben Hargreaves's Story

    Ben is an advocate for apprenticeships. Ben has supported his team and developed their talent through continuing to give them the opportunity to achieve an apprenticeship.

  • Learner

    Emilijus Kregzde

    Hospitality

    Region

    North East

    Emilijus Kregzde's Story

    Despite English not being his first language, Emilijus has successfully achieved English Level 2 alongside completing a challenging Level 4 Senior Culinary Chef apprenticeship. He has attended every session, completed all tasks on time, and has built an impressive portfolio.

  • Employer

    James Hinton

    Culinary

    Region

    The Chilterns

    James Hinton's Story

    James has played an instrumental role in helping apprentice Will build his portfolio, setting tasks to develop his knowledge and skills and attending every visit, including teaching and learning sessions. His proactive approach and commitment to Will’s success have made a huge difference.

  • Employer

    Kyle Quinn

    Culinary

    Region

    South

    Kyle Quinn's Story

    Recognising Kyle Quinell for his outstanding support of learner Guy, a 17-year-old in his first role since leaving school.  Thanks to Kyle’s dedication, Guy is on track to complete his apprenticeship on time at the end of September.

  • Employer

    Ben Gibbons

    Hospitality

    Region

    South

    Ben Gibbons's Story

    Ben has had a number of apprentices on program and also encourages progression as well. Ben is extremely committed to providing the best experiences for his apprentices.

  • Employer

    Joe Taylor

    Hospitality

    Region

    South East

    Joe Taylor's Story

    Joe at The Gub Pub is always ready to help any and all of their learners. They are always working hard to upskill, giving them opportunities to expand their knowledge, skills or behaviours.

  • Employer

    Daisy Hunnisett

    Hospitality

    Region

    South East

    Daisy Hunnisett's Story

    A huge milestone for Daisy was her achievement in Functional Skills: starting at Entry Level 3, she has successfully PASSED Level 2 Maths - a remarkable accomplishment!

  • Employer

    Joshua Thompson

    Hospitality

    Region

    North East

    Joshua Thompson's Story

    Joshua has a very good understanding of apprentice Touria helping her with activity sheets and the portfolio of evidence but also makes sure she has a good understanding of the topic. Joshua follows the employer toolkit so Touria does all of her Off The Job Hours in work time and has created his own development plan for her to cover the portfolio requirements.

  • Employer

    Laura Shakeshaft

    Hospitality

    Region

    North East

    Laura Shakeshaft's Story

    Laura represent everything apprenticeships are about - dedication, support, and a shared passion for success. Her unwavering commitment, encouragement, and care ensure her team feel supported not only in their work but also in their personal growth.

  • Employer

    Damian Griffiths

    Hospitality

    Region

    South West

    Damian Griffiths's Story

    Damian is a passionate champion of apprenticeships, ensuring his team have meaningful opportunities to learn, progress and build confidence. He supports learners at every stage accommodating their needs and celebrates their achievements.

  • Employer

    Banks Restaurant

    Hospitality

    Region

    South

    Banks Restaurant's Story

    Head Chef Mitch puts on an "apprentice menu" every other Thursday night so that Banks' Restaurant apprentices can practice dishes for their Apprenticeship.

  • Employer

    RAF Shawbury (Compass)

    Hospitality

    Region

    West Midlands

    RAF Shawbury (Compass)'s Story

    The support that RAF Shawsbury (Compass) offer apprentices is next level, and have a long standing relationship with HIT.

  • Employer

    St Monica Trust

    Hospitality

    Region

    South West

    St Monica Trust's Story

    St Monica’s Trust is a leading organisation recognised for its dedicated staff who go above and beyond to create meaningful relationships with residents and customers.

    The Trust has truly embraced apprenticeships at every level - from foundation programmes to higher qualifications in Health & Social Care, Business Administration, Operations Management and Hospitality. Their commitment is clear, not only in the consistent support given to apprentices but also in the way they have championed apprenticeships to senior management, highlighting the lasting value of ongoing training and development.

Explore Apprenticeships

Inspired by our Heroes? Discover how apprenticeships in hospitality and retail can help you grow your career or support your team.

Contact & Get Involved

Want to learn more or get involved with HIT Training? We’d love to hear from you.