Apprentice of the Year

Hiba Khan is a Doctor in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, currently serving as the Chief Revenue Officer at Medics. Academy and an Honorary Lecturer at The University of Central Lancashire. With a strong background in entrepreneurship and healthcare innovation, Hiba was awarded an Innovation Fellowship at Mid and South Essex NHS Trust. At Medics.Academy, she leads the development function and oversees a global team of executives.

A member of the UK Young Academy, Hiba actively contributes to national research and policy initiatives. She also brings governance experience as Vice-Chair of the Board at Queen Mary University Students’ Union and as a Governor on the University of West London's Workforce Committee.

Hiba has been recogniszed with several awards, including national honors in quality improvement and multiple "Outstanding" awards in clinical practice. Outside of her medical career, she has also achieved a gold medal in regional weightlifting.

Debbie McArthur left school at 16 with basic qualifications and began her career in banking. After various career paths and a transformative experience in her mid-40s, she returned to education, eventually earning a degree through the Open University. This marked the beginning of a journey in continuous learning and a career change into teaching.

Debbie now works within a large NHS Trust, where she is pursuing a Senior Leader Apprenticeship and has developed strategically in her role. She leads a team responsible for delivering apprenticeships under the Trust’s Employer Provider status and oversees the development of flagship leadership programs.

On a personal note, Debbie has been married for 44 years, has two children, seven grandchildren, and two cats.

Laura Fenton graduated from The University of Liverpool with a degree in Business Economics and began her career at Hargreaves Lansdown in 2015, where she developed a passion for financial advice. By 2020, she had secured a team leader role, successfully navigating her team through the challenges of COVID-19.

After returning from maternity leave in 2021, Laura began an apprenticeship that helped her manage a major restructure, leading to her promotion to Advisory Service Support Manager. She now oversees all support functions within the advisory division, guiding her teams to efficiently support over 100 Financial Advisers.

Trish Burley is the Distribution Manager for JD Wetherspoon, a role she secured six months ago after a decade of working in Wetherspoon pubs. Trish recently completed her Operational Departmental Management apprenticeship and earned CMI accreditation through Leeds Beckett University. Balancing her responsibilities while living in Birmingham, working in Watford, and studying in Leeds required strong management skills.

The skills and confidence Trish gained through her CMI accreditation have prepared her for further study and for developing efficiencies in Wetherspoon’s distribution processes. Outside of work, Trish is dedicated to her community, volunteering weekly with the sea cadets, and enjoys traveling whenever possible.