Apprentice from Heywood is named Apprentice of the Year finalist

Junior Digital Marketing Executive Madeline Thorp, Apprentice of the Year finalist, flanked by Cornerstone MD David Wadsworth and Jess Gibbs, the agency’s Head of Digital

A digital marketing student from Heywood has been named as one of the top apprentices in her category at the inaugural North West Apprenticeship Awards – marking a first for her employer.

Madeline Thorp, who is the first-ever apprentice to be employed by Oldham-based Cornerstone Design and Marketing, was one of the four finalists in the Tech, Digital and Creative category, which was won by Amy Pridding from financial experts AJ Bell.

Madeline is six months into her four-year Level 6 Tech, Digital and Creative apprenticeship, which is equivalent to a degree, with Manchester Metropolitan University – which was named Training Provider of the Year at the awards.

“It was a pleasure to be nominated as a finalist. A huge well done to the winners and all other finalists,” said Madeline, who has worked at the full-service creative agency since 2021, where she is a member of the digital team working on social media content and strategies.

“I’ve always been an advocate for apprenticeships and keen to share the benefits I’ve personally received from studying in this way. It was great to be a finalist, and to share the stage with such fantastic apprentices was an honour.

“I’ll continue to push the boundaries, develop new, exciting ideas, and progress within my career. A huge thanks to Cornerstone Design and Marketing for the team’s constant support, guidance, and encouragement. I’m excited to see what’s next for myself and the business.”

David Wadsworth, Cornerstone DM’s founder and managing director, says: “We are incredibly proud of Madeline’s achievement. The judges called out her unfailing commitment to, and passion for, digital marketing. Her energy and enthusiasm is infectious, and she has a real impact on the whole Cornerstone team.

“We knew as soon as she came on board she was a special talent, and the example she has set has prompted us to go down the apprenticeship route when we’ve looked to strengthen our team.”

Junior digital marketing executive Madeline, aged 19, began her Cornerstone career with a 12-month Level 3 Digital Marketing apprenticeship, passing with a distinction - the highest grade possible – with Baltic Apprenticeships.

She now splits her time 80/20 between Cornerstone and university, studying remotely and attending in-person lectures. The curriculum covers the key principles of marketing, web technology and consumer behaviour. Students are taught modules complemented by work-based projects, helping to make sure they can apply learning to real life.

Madeline is off to a great start with her studies, scoring 72% and 82% for her first two assessments.

Following in Madeline’s footsteps is Cornerstone’s latest apprentice, Hannah Jones, who is part of the web development team and is studying to become a software developer.