Santina Bunting- Looking back on 25 years of BYPY
Photo credit: Edwin Ladd
This year, we are celebrating 25 years of the iconic BYPY Awards. The awards highlight the exceptional talent and skills of young professionals across Greater Birmingham, while also giving the overall winners the chance to open doors in their careers that they might not otherwise have been able to open.
As part of these celebrations, we spoke to the overall winners of the awards, dating right back to the very first winner in 2001 to last year's winner.
Meet Santina Bunting, our most recent overall winner, who took home the title of the 2024 Greater Birmingham Young Professional of the Year.
The youngest ever winner of the GBYPY Awards, Santina Bunting stands out as a trailblazer.
Santina has completed her Level 3 Civil Engineering Apprenticeship at Arup in just two years, achieved highest grade of Distinction*Distinction* in her BTEC, qualified as a Technician with the Institution of Civil Engineers and is now in Year 2 of her Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship at Warwick University.
In her role at Arup, Santina manages databases, produces engineering drawings, and conducts analysis on major infrastructure projects across the UK and internationally.
Beyond engineering, Santina is a passionate advocate for apprenticeships. She has spoken at the House of Lords, the Annual Apprenticeship Conference, and more, is a member of the Institute of Apprenticeships & Technical Education’s apprentice panel, a contributor to campaigns with UCAS, Pearson, BBC & the Skills for Life initiative and was invited to the King’s Summer Garden Party at Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street at age 19 by the Prime Minister.
At Arup, she lead the Birmingham Early Careers Representative, supporting over 250 early careers professionals and shaping feedback to the Midlands leadership team.
Santina is eager to continue sharing her journey, champion employers in unlocking early talent, and highlighting the value of apprenticeships.
Read below to find out how winning GBYPY felt for Santina...
What category did you win?
I was honoured to be named the 2024 Apprentice of the Year and the 2024 overall Greater Birmingham Young Professional of the Year.
Tell us about yourself…
I am a pioneering young professional who made an unconventional choice after her GCSEs—pursuing an apprenticeship instead of the traditional academic route. I was the only student among 150 peers to take this path.
I completed my Level 3 Civil Engineering Apprenticeship at Arup in just two years, earning the highest grade in mu BTEC. Now a qualified Engineering Technician with the Institution of Civil Engineers, I am currently undertaking a Level 6 Civil Engineering Degree Apprenticeship at the University of Warwick, while continuing to work at Arup.
In my role, I support engineering delivery through database management, drawing production, and technical analysis, contributing to major infrastructure projects both in the UK and internationally.
I made history as the youngest-ever overall winner in the 24-year legacy of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce BYPY Awards. I also received the 2024 G4C Constructing Excellence Apprentice of the Year Award and was Highly Commended in the 2023 Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards for Engineering.
Beyond engineering, I am a passionate advocate for apprenticeships. I have spoken at the House of Lords, the Annual Apprenticeship Conference, and 10 Downing Street. I contribute to UCAS’s Apprenticeship Advisory Group and recently fronted the Government’s Skills for Life campaign. In 2024, I hosted the Inspirational Youth Awards and co-hosted the Federation of Awarding Bodies Awards.
Where were you working at the time of winning your award?
At the time of winning, I was a Level 6 Civil Engineering Degree Apprentice at Arup, a global engineering consultancy and I’m am still working there today.
What does your career look like now?
Since winning, I’ve continued in my role as a Civil Engineering Apprentice. While my core responsibilities remain the same, I’m currently on an exciting rotation into the tunnels team, which is a new challenge beyond my home engineering team.
5What did winning BYPY do for your career? Have you had any other big achievements or award wins since?
Professionally, it's still early days, so there hasn’t been a huge shift in my role, but winning BYPY has significantly raised my profile within Arup. More colleagues across the company now recognise me and what I stand for.
Outside of work, winning BYPY has opened incredible doors. I was invited to 10 Downing Street by the Prime Minister for an International Women’s Day reception—an unforgettable moment. I’ve also appeared on the front cover of two magazines: Birmingham Business alongside other BYPY winners, and Chamberlink.
In May, I became the youngest-ever finalist in the 33-year history of the Midlands Props Awards, nominated in the Rising Star category. And perhaps most meaningfully, after co-hosting an awards show last year, I was invited to be the sole host of the 2024 Inspirational Youth Awards—just a year after being a finalist myself.
I’d say the momentum was already building before BYPY, but the award amplified it in ways I never imagined.
Why should people apply for GBYPY?
Why not? Honestly, there’s everything to gain. Winning BYPY made me feel like Birmingham wrapped its arms around me. I discovered a new sense of confidence and felt lifted by the community.
I actually self-nominated on a bit of a whim and I’m so glad I did. There’s no shame in backing yourself. Believing in your potential is powerful.
And if you know someone doing incredible things, don’t hesitate to nominate them. You never know the difference it could make in their journey.
The saying is true: you never know unless you try.
How did winning BYPY feel?
Being named the overall winner made me incredibly proud of the hard work I’ve poured into my journey—and it fills me with excitement for what’s still to come.
