KKB Group won the Employer of the Year award for the longstanding commitment and success of its local training schemes at the Kent Apprenticeship Awards in June 2026. The trophy was presented at a special ceremony held at Gillingham FC’s Priestfield Stadium. KKB’s current plant maintenance trainee Alfie Wells also won on the night, being named Apprentice of the Year in the Early Career category.

The landmark event brought together apprentices, employers, mentors and training providers from across the county to recognise the vital role apprenticeships play in developing skills, creating opportunities and shaping Kent’s future workforce.

The organisers explained why their independent judging panel selected KKB for the evening’s signature award:

“What particularly stood out was the way this organisation has fully embraced their responsibility as an employer, creating an environment where a young apprentice could genuinely thrive and succeed. The panel spoke very highly about the culture of support surrounding apprentice Alfie Wells, whose remarkable commitment and work ethic clearly reflected the encouragement and opportunities provided by the business and its wider team.

“This organisation has demonstrated exactly what can be achieved when employers truly invest in their apprentices and create opportunities for people to succeed.”

KKB Group, which has been based in Medway since its establishment in 2010, has an excellent track record of providing local apprenticeships. In the last 5 years, the enabling works contractor has provided structured workplace training for trainees all of whom are now employed full-time delivering enabling works for civil engineering and infrastructure projects throughout the UK. In 2025 KKB delivered 522 hours of skills-based training for its 80-staff an increase of 7% year-on-year.

“We are delighted that our focus on developing local employment and training has been officially recognised,” said Del Bhanot, KKB’s Managing Director, “As an employer we have always been aware of our social responsibilities and we understand the value of using local sources of labour, materials and facilities in contributing to the economic and social fabric of the area as well as the benefits they bring to our company.”

The KKB Group, which has been an employee-owned company since 2022, has invested heavily in its social value commitments. The firm supports initiatives organised by the Kent Equality Cohesion Council and Cohesion Plus through sponsorship and in-kind logistics for cultural festivals and community events. Staff regularly engage on volunteering and in 2025 the company achieved Platinum status on the Medway Healthy Workplaces programme.

Founded through a pioneering collaboration between East Kent College Group, MidKent College and North Kent College, the Kent Apprenticeship Awards attracted an impressive 125 nominations across a wide range of sectors including engineering, construction, healthcare, digital media and horticulture.