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A former The Sixth Form Bolton student has been recognised at the National Apprenticeship and Skills Awards 2026 after being named Highly Commended in the T Level Student of the Year category, celebrating her outstanding achievements in education, early years practice and personal resilience.

Mariam Yousaf, a former student of Smithills School, successfully completed her Education and Early Years T Level at The Sixth Form Bolton this summer. She is now celebrating national recognition after being selected as Highly Commended at the North West Regional Apprenticeship and Skills Awards.

The National Apprenticeship and Skills Awards celebrate exceptional apprentices, T Level students, employers and skills champions from across the country. Mariam attended the North West Regional Apprenticeship and Skills Awards ceremony at Manchester Hall on Thursday 1 October 2026, where regional winners and highly commended entrants were announced.

Throughout her studies, Mariam demonstrated an unwavering commitment to her ambition of becoming a nurse while balancing the demands of academic study with employment in nursery settings to support her progression to university.

During her industry placements, Mariam worked across two nursery settings, caring for children aged 0 to 5 and taking responsibility as a key person for ten children. Her role involved supporting children's development and school readiness, monitoring progress, building strong relationships with families and assisting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Despite facing the unexpected closure of one of her placements, Mariam showed exceptional resilience by supporting staff, children and families through the transition before independently securing a new placement, where she quickly established herself as a valued member of the team.

Her dedication and professionalism led to offers of paid employment from both nursery settings, with employers praising her natural ability to work with young children and the positive impact she had on their teams.

Mariam said:

"The event was just wow! It was really nice to meet lots of different people, from big companies to small businesses, and to see people who share my passion for T Levels.

I went to the awards thinking it didn't really matter whether I won anything or not, but it felt completely unreal to be recognised. If, at the start of college, someone had told me I'd be recognised for my achievements in T Levels, I would never have believed it.

I can't thank my teachers enough - Mrs Walker, Miss Fish, Mrs Ainsworth, who accompanied me to the awards event, Mrs Oldroyd, Head of Childcare and Health & Social Care, and our tutor, Miss Shipley. I'd also like to thank the amazing friends I made on the course, Emaan, Arzoo, Jorja and Atiya. As one of the first cohorts to study T Levels, there was a lot of pressure to succeed and, while it was challenging at times, it has been completely worth it."

Fiona Ainsworth, Education and Early Years T Level teacher at The Sixth Form Bolton, said:

"Mariam has been an exceptional student throughout her T Level journey. She consistently went above and beyond in her placements and demonstrated outstanding professionalism, compassion and resilience. The way she responded to the closure of her placement showed real maturity and determination. She is a fantastic ambassador for T Levels and technical education, and this recognition is thoroughly deserved. We are incredibly proud of everything she has achieved.

It was an absolute honour to accompany Mariam to the North West Regional Apprenticeship and Skills Awards. We attended with no expectations and were surrounded by representatives from large organisations and global companies. Mariam said she was simply happy to be nominated, let alone be a finalist. It is safe to say we were both shocked and delighted when it was announced that she had been named Highly Commended in the T Level Student of the Year category. As her teacher, I was immensely proud watching her receive this recognition. Seeing her name on the screen and watching her walk across the stage was a wonderful moment.

Throughout the evening, many people took the time to congratulate Mariam and learn more about her achievements, including representatives involved in the development and delivery of T Levels. She was a fantastic ambassador for both her course and the college, and we couldn't be prouder of her."

The Sixth Form Bolton congratulates Mariam on being named Highly Commended in the T Level Student of the Year category and wishes her every success as she begins the next stage of her journey towards a career in nursing.