ERSA Employability Awards 2026: Finalists Revealed!

With over 320 outstanding applications, we’re delighted to announce the finalists of the 2026 ERSA Employability Awards.

Now in their 14th year, the Awards – sponsored by Fedcap – recognise and celebrate the exceptional work taking place across the sector. They shine a spotlight on the individuals, teams, partnerships and providers making a real difference to people’s lives and helping more people move into and progress in employment.

The winners will be announced on the evening of the annual ERSA Conference, taking place at Leonardo Royal St Paul's on Wednesday 25th November 2026. Outstanding Contribution will be announced on the evening.

Finally, every entrant that didn’t make the shortlist will get a certificate of commendation by email early November.
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Frontline Adviser

- Alana Farrington-Morris, Shaw Trust
- Amnah Vicars, Career Connect
- Asgar Suleman, Twin Training International
- Gurbuz Binici, Royal Borough Greenwich - Greenwich Local Labour and Business (GLLaB)
- Haroon Sherzad, Serco
- Juliet Tordecilla, PeoplePlus
- Kelly Avorgah, Maximus
- Mandy Chetwyn, Acorn Training
- Mark Ryan, Standguide
- Maurice Angland, The Growth Company
- Pamela Coleman, Mental Health Matters
- Rhiannin Stygal, Get Set UK

Frontline Manager

- Abdul Kalam, AKG
- Amir Girnary, Southend City Council
- Heather Crook, Cheshire West and Chester Council
- Honey Oyindamola, Twin Training
- Keren Hamd Fadega, Maximus
- Lara Leckey, The Growth Company
- Lis Vale, Seetec
- Maryam Bello-Tukur, Imperial Health Charity
- Ravi Savjani, Business 2 Business
- Sam Miller, Groundwork NE
- Shivani Sharma, Get Set UK
- Sikandar Ali, Wigan Youth Zone

Employer Partnership - sponsored by 4front Partners

- One Beyond, nominated by Ingeus
- Metroline, nominated by The Growth Company
- Compass Group, nominated by G4S
- University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW), nominated by Coventry City Council
- Nandos, nominated by Spear
- AGS, nominated by Maximus

The Team Behind the Scenes - sponsored by Get Oldham Working

- AKG Delivery Partner Management Team
- Connect to Work Programme Team, nominated by Kent County Council
- Restart Scheme Supply Chain Management Team, Serco
- Service Excellence Team, Fedcap
- Operational Excellence Team, Ingeus
- Sheffield Triage Team, Sheffield City Council

Employer Engagement Practitioner - sponsored by Coyne Recruitment

- Neville Swain, Workpays Ltd
- Carmen Baccino, Sefton@Work
- Gary Little, Ingeus
- Leyli Atahanova, Salford City Council
- James Ogborn, Get Oldham Working
- Abi Pither, Fedcap

Motivating Senior Leader - sponsored by Maximus

- Caroline Banks, Ingeus
- Debbie Braid, AKG
- Kathryn Jellings, 3SC
- Laura Millar, Fife Gingerbread
- Michelle Leeson, The Growth Company
- Rachel Gray, Middlesbrough College

Innovative Employment Support - sponsored by Genius Within

- Acorn Training - Neurodiversity Team
- Fife Gingerbread - Lone Parent Positive Workplaces (LPPW)
- Sefton@Work
- AKG with Beam as a Delivery Technology Provider
- Ingeus RISE
- Triage - Impact Pilots
- JobsPlus Pilots - All 10 sites, nominated by Communities that Work

Introducing AI - sponsored by Earlybird

- Middlesbrough College Inspire AI Initiative
- Growth Company and Beam
- Reed in Partnership
- Telford College
- Ingeus
- RIFT Social Enterprise

Adding Social Value - sponsored by Seetec

- London Borough of Barking and Dagenham’s BRICK Training Centre and Skills-Builder Programme
- Reed in Partnership
- Shaw Trust Foundation
- Maximus UK’s Restart Scheme

Community Outreach

- Community Champions, nominated by Transform Lives Company
- Uplift Associates, nominated by Middlesbrough College
- CFO Evolution, The Growth Company
- Greenwich Supports Pilot, Royal Borough Greenwich
- Imperial Health Charity, nominated by Belina Grow
- Get Oldham Working

Health Solutions for Work - sponsored by Populi Solutions

- Salford WorkWell
- Fedcap - Clubhouse
- WorkWell Blackpool
- Rochdale Council's Work, Health and Skills Team
- Life Reworked Trailblazer MSK Hub, South London Partnership
- Health and Wellbeing Coaching Programme, 3SC

Partnership and Collaboration - sponsored by ICONI

- The Launchpad Partnership: Newground Together and Blackburn College, supported by Blackburn with Darwen Council and Together Housing Group
- Ingeus and Saira Hospitality
- Manchester's Refugee Welcome Programme, nominated by Breaking Barriers
- Better Connect's Rise2Thrive Trailblazer
- Routes to Work, NHS Lanarkshire and North Lanarkshire Council Working for Families Partnership
- Imperial Health Charity and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

Addressing the NEET Challenge - sponsored by Serco

- Fresh Start, Cheshire West and Chester Council
- Surrey Choices' Non-EHCP Supported Internship Pilot
- Coventry City Council's Trailblazer Programme
- WeMindTheGap
- Ingeus RISE
- Seetec and Greenlight Safety & Training’s Construction Ready Programme
- Career Connect's specialist Electively Home Educated (EHE) programme

Outstanding Participant - sponsored by Twin Group

- Tayla Jones, nominated by Cheshire West and Chester Council
- Richu Sara Babu, nominated by Asuria
- Dalpreet Brom, nominated by Business to Business
- Muzamil, nominated by Rochdale Council
- Romell Harewood, nominated by Ingeus
- Lydia, nominated by Catch22
- Gabi, nominated by Catch22
- Polina Presnova, nominated by Momentic
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