The winners of the Employment Related Services Association (ERSA) Employability Awards 2015, sponsored by Seetec, were announced yesterday at a special ceremony in London hosted by Baroness Stedman-Scott, with guest speaker, the Rt Hon Priti Patel MP, Minister for Employment.
The awards, now in their third year, celebrate and champion the exceptional people and organisations working across the sector who help jobseekers in their journey towards employment. Winners include specialist employment support organisations, frontline advisors, employers and jobseekers themselves, who often overcome a range of barriers to enter the workplace.
This year saw overwhelming support for the awards, with over 200 entrants from a broad range of organisations, including housing associations, social enterprises, local authorities, charities and businesses. The shortlisted entries were drawn from a range of programmes, including the Work Programme, which has, to date, helped over 700,000 long term unemployed jobseekers into employment.
The award judges this year were Ed Cox, Director of IPPR North; Elisabeth Paulson, Investment Director, Impetus PEF; and John Michalski, Commercial Director, Department for Work and Pensions.
Kirsty McHugh, Chief Executive, ERSA, said:
“Employment changes lives for the better. These awards celebrate the very best in class – the frontline advisers who go above and beyond to help the journey to work, the employers who give people a chance in the workforce and the jobseekers themselves, who often overcome a range of barriers to enter work and change their lives and those of their families.
“This year, the entries were a particularly high quality and our judges had an extremely difficult task in picking the winners. We should all applaud their achievements. “
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The winners in each category are as follows:
Supply Chain Partner of the Year Award sponsored by Intraining
Recognising excellence as a subcontractor in the field of employment related services
• Richmond Fellowship Employment Services (nominated by G4S Employment Support Services)
Youth Employment Award sponsored by Ingeus
Recognising an employment services provider who has demonstrated exceptional commitment in delivering employment services to young people
• Resurgo Trust, Spear Employment Initiative
Disability Employment Award sponsored by Shaw Trust
Recognising an employment services provider who has demonstrated exceptional commitment in supporting jobseekers with disabilities and health conditions to achieve sustained employment
• Papworth Trust
Innovation Award sponsored by Advanced Personnel Management
Recognising a provider who has pioneered innovative approaches and solutions within the employment related services market
• Volition
Large Employer of the Year sponsored by Avanta
Recognising a large employer who has demonstrated exceptional commitment in creating opportunities for disadvantaged and long term unemployed jobseekers
• Poundbakery (nominated by Intraining)
Small or Medium Employer of the Year Award sponsored by Campbell Page
Recognising a small or medium employer who has demonstrated exceptional commitment in creating opportunities for disadvantaged and long term unemployed jobseekers
• Baxter Life Care Ltd, Blackpool (nominated by Intraining)
Advisor of the Year Award sponsored by Alderwood
Recognising an employment adviser who has demonstrated exceptional commitment in a frontline role
• Belinda (Billie) Hunt, RBLI
Employability Learner of the Year Award sponsored by the Institute of Employability Professionals (IEP)
Recognising the commitment of a member of staff to develop their own learning and/or that of others in order to support their organisation to improve the service they offer their customers.
• Julie Eastwood, Kennedy Scott
Significant Achievement Award sponsored by Affinity Sutton
Recognising a specific jobseeker who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to overcoming barriers to enter and maintain work
• Alta Sheridan nominated by The Twist Partnership
• Alan Hydon nominated by Intraining
Lifetime Achievement Award sponsored by Serco
Recognising an exceptional individual who has dedicated a significant part of their career to the employment related services sector and has made a notable impact on the industry
• Mick May, Blue Sky
Ends
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Notes to Editors
1. The Employment Related Services Association (ERSA) is the representative body for the employment support sector.
2. ERSA’s membership spans the private, voluntary and public sectors and ranges from large multi-nationals through to small specialist charities. It has over 200 members including all prime contractors of the Work Programme, Work Choice and other major programmes, plus a large number of subcontractors. The majority of its members are not for profit.
3. The 2015 ERSA Employability Awards headline sponsor is Seetec.
