Finalists for this year’s record-breaking Apprenticeship and Training Awards have been revealed.
An independent panel of expert judges met on Monday and assessed over 650 nominations from employers, training providers, colleges and universities, smashing last year’s haul of 600.
FE Week can now reveal the 94 entries on the shortlist for the awards. Winners will be announced at the Apprenticeships and Training Conference gala dinner and awards evening on March 3, which will be hosted by comedian Sara Pascoe.
Run jointly by FE Week and the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP), and delivered in partnership with City and Guilds, the ninth annual awards celebrate best-in-class training, outstanding outreach and exceptional employer partnerships.
Supermarket giant Asda goes up against the London Borough of Hackney, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Muller UK and Ireland, and four others for this year’s large employer of the year award.
Meanwhile, the coveted training provider of the year award will go to either BPP Education Group, Cambridge Spark, In-Comm Training, SCL Professional, Shaping Lives or University Centre Somerset College Group.
A parliamentary reception will take place at the House of Lords as part of National Apprenticeships Week in February to recognise this year’s finalists.
Shane Mann, chair of ATA judging panel and chief executive of FE Week’s publisher EducationScape, said: “There were some lively debates among the judges, which speaks to the high standard of nominations from a sector that is constantly innovating and raising the bar.
“It was fascinating to see how training providers and employers are embedding AI into their programmes to personalise learning and enhance the curriculum.
“Congratulations to all finalists. I can’t wait to see you all at our parliamentary reception next year before announcing the winners at the Apprenticeships and Training Conference in March.”
Six employers have been shortlisted for the employer commitment to apprenticeships and training award. They are: Busy Bees Nurseries, Greene King, HM Revenue & Customs, Mitchells & Butlers, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and North West London Pathology.
And the organisations shortlisted for the excellence in learner support award are: Best Practice Network, Central Bedfordshire Council, Exeter College’s apprentice learning support team, Kaplan, London South Bank University and North Bristol NHS Trust.
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