A family owned construction company have been named the top small business at this year’s Modern Apprenticeship Awards.

GA Roberts and Son won the Employer Award for firms with less than 50 employees in a ceremony in central London.

The quality of small business entrants impressed judges so much that a special commendation was awarded to the Topiary Tree, a floristry business run by former Modern Apprentice Gemma Magson.

Runners up in the small business category were Barlows Electrical Engineers and Upper Cut Hair Salon.

The awards, which attracted 240 entries, rewarded employers that successfully implemented the MA scheme, demonstrated how it benefited their business or supported workers involved with the initiative.

Hosted by Carol Vorderman, the judging panel of the awards ceremony included business leaders such as George Cox, director general of the Institute of Directors, and Isabella Moore, president of the British Chambers of Commerce.

The government has claimed that MA schemes are a key weapon in combating the severe lack of skills in the UK workforce – a problem which is hindering many small firms.

Under the initiative, workers are trained in the workplace, with employers compensated for the time staff are not working.

George Roberts, owner and manager of GA Roberts and Son, said that in the building industry there is a shortage of skilled people, which can make recruitment difficult.

“We wanted to expand the workforce to meet customer demand, so decided that the only way to obtain staff was to train them ourselves.

“We have now reached the stage where we employ a steady flow of apprentices, taking qualifications in both bricklaying and joinery.

“Because we have this extra capacity, we can take on bigger jobs over a shorter timescale, which in the long-term enables expansion and increased turnover,” he said.

Mark Haysom, chief executive of the Learning and Skills Council, said that apprenticeships are a cornerstone in the work on skills development.

“Currently one-fifth of job vacancies – some 135,000 places – remain unfilled because of a lack of skilled applicants.

“The national Modern Apprenticeship Awards are a great opportunity to recognise the crucial contribution small businesses are making to raise skill levels, and improve productivity and competitiveness nationally,” he said.