Askham Bryan College Employer of the Year Awards 2026
5th August 2026
Askham Bryan College is proud to celebrate the winners of the 2025/26 Employer of the Year Awards, recognising the outstanding employer partners who help shape our students’ education and future careers.
Employer of the Year Award – Overall Winner
Tom Spark – Mulgrave Estate
Tom was nominated by Land and Wildlife student, Isla Munro. Mulgrave have provided multiple student placements over the years for our students and this year they have hosted Isla. Isla has gone from strength to strength and here are some quotes taken directly from Isla’s nomination.
“Tom has been nothing but helpful throughout my placement. His dedication to his job truly inspires me and encourages me to work towards a similar role in the future.”
“At the beginning of my placement I had never held a rifle before, let alone shot one. Throughout my placement, Tom has given me the courage and confidence to shoot. December 2025, I shot my first red hind, which was a big milestone for me and was certainly a meaningful learning opportunity.”
“Working alongside Tom and fellow estate workers has brought a new lease of confidence in me and has encouraged me to push myself out of my comfort zone and experience new things. Tom is a true gem to work with and deserves all the credit he can get!”
https://mulgrave-estate.co.uk/about/news/2026-07-08-employer-of-the-year-award-2025-26
Employer of the Year Award – Student Choice Winner
Robert Goulding – Old Oxenhope Farm
Robert was nominated by Animal Management student, Casey Blackburn.
“They have taught me so much about the farming community, both Robert and his daughters took me under their wing and showed me such kindness and made me feel like I was so welcome. Robert and his family are my role models, and I will always be grateful for the time and opportunity they gave me.”
“Robert provided me the opportunity to do paid milking which allowed me to learn about different biosecurity techniques but also financial support for me to do my driving lessons. It also gave me confidence in my abilities and allowed me to feel like part of the team.”
“My time with Robert and his family has provided me with the best opportunities that have helped to boost my confidence incredibly from dealing with livestock to interacting and talking to a variety of industry professionals. They also gave me confidence in my abilities by correcting me when I was wrong and providing me with an opportunity to correct my mistakes without making me feel bad about them by showing me that mistakes are something we can learn from.”
Employer of the Year Award – Student Choice Finalist
Alexandra Farmer – Whitby Wildlife Sanctuary
Alexandra was nominated by Animal Management Student, Raye Weir.
“Alex has been an incredible support and has pushed me to be more confident.”
“I’ve become more confident in my abilities of tending to animals by myself.”
“I’m grateful that I have been able to work with such a diverse range of animals.”
Whitby Wildlife Sanctuary | Whitby | Facebook – Posted on 12th July