Frontline Adviser of the Year
Employment advisers and job coaches demonstrating exceptional commitment in a frontline role.

The finalists

Sandeep Koltharkar, Business 2 Business

Sandeep Koltharkar is an exceptional adviser and his kindness, tenacity and vitality builds the confidence of participants, plus he goes to great lengths to help people and seek solutions.

During lockdowns when many services were closed, his knowledge and links with community organisations enabled people to continue to access housing, well-being and foodbank support.

Vikki Jackson, The Lennox Partnership  nominated by Capita Business Services

Vikki Jackson has demonstrated exceptional commitment to her role as a frontline adviser.

She has had to support all her participants without physically meeting them and has performed to an outstanding level, helping more people into work than any other colleague, going the extra mile to help them and receiving excellent feedback.

Morag Notman, Fedcap Employment

Morag Notman has supported disabled people to overcome their barriers and find suitable, sustainable work – at a time when work opportunities plummeted during the pandemic.

Her high standard of work, can-do attitude, positivity and great relationships with external partners means she is a great asset to the organisation.

Vikki Foster, Money Sorted

At a time when referrals to the project have been hit by limited community engagement and services not running at capacity, Vikki Foster has surpassed all expectations.

She has given 72 vulnerable, financially-excluded people an essential lifeline when they needed it most and is having a life-changing impact through her work.

Gaynor Wheeler, Recro Consulting  

Gaynor Wheeler has been a driving force behind winning contracts to deliver motivation and employment programme The Life you Want for vulnerable 18 to 24-year-olds.

She went to huge efforts to identify young people who would benefit and to get them on the programme, which has had a massive impact on their lives at a time when lockdown was doing untold damage.

Jack, St Helens Chamber

Jack is inspiring, devoted, and passionate and has provided consistently outstanding compassion to all throughout the pandemic.

During the most testing times, he has been able to keep the young people he works with – some of whom were struggling to cope with isolation, anxiety and fear – engaged, motivated, and inspired.

Victoria Hague, The Growth Company

Victoria Hague is described as “amazing” and “an inspiration” by her managers for always going above and beyond to support her clients.

She often works additional hours to help her customers remove all the barriers to employment they face – whether it’s personal or health issues, financial or housing problems.


This award category is sponsored by the IEP
The IEP is the membership body for employability professionals. We are dedicated to supporting the people who support others gain work, progress in work and retain work. 

You can watch our video here that helps to explain the developmental journey of both an employability professional and an individual who needs our help. 

Celebrate with the sector

Register for the ERSA Employability Awards – the winners announcement to be held online on 25 November at 2pm along with special messages from ministers and sector stakeholders. Please follow our awards hashtag using #ERSAAwards21. 

The full list of the finalists across all categories can be found here and more on the awards here.