St Austell Brewery Apprentices Shortlisted For Awards

Two St Austell Brewery apprentices have been shortlisted for awards, with one of them also shortlisted for the coveted Achiever of the Year award which will be determined by a public vote.

Piers Smith and Alice Norris, who work at Haveners in Fowey and The Borough Arms in Bodmin respectively, have been singled out as Apprentices of the Year in the hospitality category at the upcoming Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards 2025.

In total, 49 nominees from colleges and training providers have been shortlisted in 18 categories.

Alice Norris has worked for St Austell Brewery for the past three years, starting out as Assistant Manager at The Central in Newquay before moving over to The Borough Arms.

Alice said she fell in love with “the pub’s history and charm, the great team and community” and her passion has continued to shine through, seeing her promoted to General Manager earlier this month.

Alice, who is completing her Level 4 in Hospitality Management apprenticeship, said:

“The course has given me the knowledge and skills to be a well-rounded leader, understand the fundamentals of running a successful hospitality establishment and has given me a confidence to achieve the next step in my career."

“The support and guidance from my college mentors has been a real stepping stone in my growth and the support from St Austell Brewery has allowed me the time and resources to thrive. I hope in the future to mentor fellow apprentices to continue their careers in hospitality.”

Piers Smith, who is completing his Level 2 Professional Chef apprenticeship has also flourished in his role, with his managers saying the 23-year-old has grown in confidence and skill beyond expectations.

St Austell Brewery’s Early Careers Manager, Jon Kelley, said:

“Piers is a shining example of resilience, hard work and dedication, who thoroughly deserves every bit of praise that we can give him."

“He’s embraced his apprenticeship journey and transformed from a shy person into an outgoing and much-loved member of his team and community.”

Piers was not only shortlisted for Apprentice of the Year in Hospitality, but he is also in the running for Cornwall’s Achiever of the Year award.

The winners will be announced on the evening of the Awards' ceremony on Friday 7th February.