A Bristol Water apprentice has been named as a finalist for Apprentice of the Year in the 2026 Harper Adams Apprenticeship Awards.
Tom Howard, a second-year apprentice, is currently completing a Level 6 apprenticeship at Harper Adams and working towards a degree in Rural Enterprise and Land Management.
After completing his A-levels, Tom wanted to continue studying and felt he would enjoy learning on the job and gaining experience first-hand in the area he wanted to work.
Tom discovered Bristol Water’s apprenticeship opportunities and felt they offered interesting work which involved a mixture of office and field based activity.
He joined Bristol Water’s Estates Team in 2024. Tom’s role involves helping the business support landowners and land managers when there is a need to carry out work on private land.
Speaking about why he finds an apprenticeship works well for him, Tom said: “I think the apprenticeship has been a really great thing for me because you're doing the job whilst you're studying about the subject. You're able to put what you’re learning into practice straight away. It really helps with your understanding of the subject and my confidence has really developed since starting.”
When asked about his award shortlisting, Tom added: “I’m really proud to have been shortlisted for Apprentice of the Year and grateful for the support and opportunities I’ve had at Bristol Water and at Harper Adams University."
Jolyon Halford, Bristol Water’s Lead Estates Manager and Tom’s manager, said: “Tom has fully embraced both sides of his apprenticeship – excelling at Harper Adams and making a real impact within the Bristol Water Estates team. He’s able to perform strongly in his academic studies, demonstrating the discipline to balance his workload, studying and life effectively.
Tom has really bought into his apprenticeship, consistently showing commitment, maturity, and a willingness to develop and learn. Being shortlisted for Apprentice of the Year is a fantastic achievement that reflects the esteem in which he is held by his peers, university staff and colleagues at Bristol Water.”
Reflecting on his experience so far for National Apprenticeship Week, Tom said: “I would definitely encourage people to see if there are apprenticeships available in the area they would like to go into. It's a great way to learn about the career you want but you also work with other professionals seeing what they do.”
Last year Bristol Water’s parent company, Pennon, was awarded Platinum membership of The 5% Club in recognition of its commitment to supporting apprentices and graduates - the only business in the UK water sector to achieve this.
The 5% Club is a made up of employers that are committed to providing the best opportunities for the next generation to get started in their careers - combining work and education by offering a variety of graduate and apprentice programs.
Pennon was awarded Platinum membership in recognition of achieving gold standard for three consecutive years and having 10% of its workforce on schemes such as apprenticeships, graduate programmes or degree placements.
