Terms and conditions:

After the closing date on Friday, September 8, 2023, representatives of the category sponsors will read through all the nominees who have entered and chose a shortlist of three finalists for each category. 

 
The finalists in each category will be informed w/c Monday, September 18 that they have made the shortlist. 

 
All finalists will be invited to the Apprenticeship Awards Evening 2023 hosted at Bescot Stadium, Walsall on the evening of Thursday, November 16, 2023, where the winners of each category will be announced. 

The Express & Star ‘Overall Apprentice of the Year 2023’ will be chosen from categories one of the six Apprentice of the Year categories by representatives of our headline sponsor Walsall Council on the evening of November 16 ,2023. 

Just before the event the Express & Star will carry a special supplement in-paper featuring all of the finalists. 

If you are finalist, you will receive two complimentary tickets to the awards evening with the option to buy extra places. The winners will be revealed at Bescot Stadium, Walsall on Thursday, November 16, 2023. 

All data shared when entering the Ladder for the Black Country Apprenticeship Awards will be used for administration ONLY. Nomination details will be kept private and selected details only will be shared with our carefully selected panel of judges in order to make their selection. 

MNA Media and members of its group will not use your data for any marketing purposes outside of these awards unless you give us consent. 

All details will be deleted 90 days after the event date; 16 November 2023. 

The awards are free to enter. By submitting this form you confirm that all of the details in the application are correct to the best of your knowledge and believe that no pertinent information has been withheld. 

Entries can only be accepted from businesses whose base, or a substantial proportion of business, is based within the Express & Star circulation area. 

Companies and organisations can enter in more than one category, providing that the specific application criteria is fulfilled. Separate and bespoke applications should be made for each award. 

Entries must be received no later than the deadline shown on the event website – No liability for entries lost or delayed in transmission will be accepted. 

Sponsors and their business members can enter their own category but will relinquish their responsibility of judging that category. 

 
Third parties can make applications on behalf of businesses, providing the business nominated is aware of the entry and has approved the content in the application form. 

Entrants will need to make available whatever additional relevant information is required by the judges to assist them in reaching a decision. 

 
All entrants must declare whether they, or the business they represent, are/could be involved in any dispute or judgement that could in any way significantly interfere with the proper conduct or reputation of the organisers of the awards. 

The judges reserve the right to merge or split categories if the level of entrants warrants this. 

You agree to abide by the terms and conditions of the competition and abide by the judges’ decision on all matters relating to the awards. 

The event organisers reserve the right to change judging deadlines should circumstances necessitate. 

The judges’ decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into before or after judging. 

MNA Media reserves the right to publicise the results (including the names of any winners or nominees) of the Awards Event and use winning entries in press releases and published case histories. Accordingly, it is a condition of entry that Awards Events participants will cooperate with the media in relation to any such publication or Awards Events marketing material. 

Awards winners may refer to the Awards Event in their own publicity material, following prior approval by MNA Media and the organisers of such material. 

MNA Media may provide instructions as to how Awards winners may display any Awards Events marks or marketing material, which the winners and entrants agree to comply with. MNA Media will not approve any publicity material which is offensive, obscene, derogatory in nature or defamatory to any third party. 

Awards are non-transferable. 

MNA Media reserves the right to amend or update these Terms at any time to comply with law or meet its changing business requirements without notice to you. Any updates or amendments will be published on the applicable Event’s website. 

Under no circumstances shall MNA Media be liable to you or the organisation you represent for any of the following, whether in contract, tort (including negligence) or otherwise: any indirect or consequential losses, loss of revenue or anticipated revenue, loss of savings or anticipated savings, loss of business opportunity, or loss of profits or anticipated profits. Nothing in these Terms shall exclude or restrict MNA Media’s liability for death or personal injury resulting from the negligence of MNA Media.