The 2026 Local Government Apprentice of the Year winner - Leena Futter - began her journey in local government in October 2022 as a casual Recreational Assistant. This led on to her first apprenticeship opportunity as a Leisure and Fitness Apprentice. In September 2025, Leena then took a bold step into her current role as a Corporate Project Administrator Apprentice at Borough Council of Kings Lynn and West Norfolk and is now undertaking her second apprenticeship, level 3 Business Administrator.
“It encouraged me to think more creatively about problem‑solving, explore new approaches to everyday challenges, and consider how small changes can lead to more efficient and forward‑thinking services”
The 2026 Local Government Apprentice of the Year winner - Leena Futter - began her journey in local government in October 2022 as a casual Recreational Assistant. This led on to her first apprenticeship opportunity as a Leisure and Fitness Apprentice. In September 2025, Leena then took a bold step into her current role as a Corporate Project Administrator Apprentice at Borough Council of Kings Lynn and West Norfolk and is now undertaking her second apprenticeship, level 3 Business Administrator. Through her apprenticeships, Leena has discovered the value of learning both on and off the job. Applying new knowledge to real tasks has become one of the aspects she enjoys most, helping her build confidence and develop practical skills.
Leena was put forward for the Local Government Apprentice of the Year event 2026 by her colleagues. She states that taking part was less about winning and more about embracing something new. In fact, simply attending the event was already a significant personal achievement for Leena; something she admits she would not have had the confidence to do just a few years earlier. Leena describes how she felt a mix of excitement, pride, and nerves on the first day. However, as the event unfolded, those nerves began to shift. Throughout the day, she found herself contributing ideas, collaborating, and stepping into situations that pushed her beyond her comfort zone.
For Leena, the most enjoyable part was working with her team to create a leaflet, proposal and press release, bringing together all the hard work from the day into a visual document. According to Leena, throughout the event she had to overcome some challenges, particularly when tackling unfamiliar concepts such as stakeholder analysis. Yet, rather than stepping back, she saw these challenges as valuable learning opportunities. She said,
It showed me that even when something feels unfamiliar, collaborating with others can help you grow and develop your skills
By the end of the day, Leena recalls feeling grateful for the opportunity to have taken part in the event. Despite having arrived feeling nervous, she was now feeling more confident, more comfortable sharing her ideas and contributions, and proud of the progress she had made in just a few hours. Leena felt satisfied with her achievement and simply taking part and recalls feeling complete shock when her name was announced as the overall winner for 2026. Her shock quickly turned into pride and joy, as she realised the significance of her achievement as the winner and what it represented. Anything is possible, as long as you try For Leena, winning reaffirmed her belief that stepping outside of your comfort zone can lead to outcomes you may never have imagined and she says she is returning to her workplace feeling more confident in her abilities, more willing to speak up, and more motivated to take on new challenges. Looking ahead, Leena is focused on continuing her development within local government, gaining experience across different departments and broadening her understanding of the sector. With a renewed sense of confidence, she now feels empowered to seek out these opportunities. Above all, her journey highlights her powerful message:
Anything is possible, as long as you try