Yesterday, Bristol's harbourside events and exhibition space @Bristol saw the South West finals of the National Training Awards take place.
 

Such diverse entrants as The British Army, The Donkey Sanctuary, South Gloucestershire Council and pasty magnates Ginsters were all on the shortlist for these prestigious awards.

Diverse in industry they may have been, but one thing that bound together all the nominees was their recognition of their high quality when it came to training design, delivery and implementation.

As Simon Bartley, chief executive of awards organisers UK Skills asserted in his short but engaging introduction, "there is no higher accolade than winning a national training award".

A previous winner, Angela Cooley, group sales training manager for the Travis Perkins group gave her address as guest speaker, echoing the opening sentiments about the prestige of nomination and the real effect it had on ROI, before the awards themselves got under way.

here are the list of winners in full:

Providing education and training

• Bournemouth University - Centre for the PSQW

Partnership and Collaboration

• The Next Step team and Wincanton Plc
• ISG Pearce Ltd and Somax Ltd
• Flybe/Rock the Boat Consulting/Steps Drama L&D
• South Glos council and Nelson Training
• Sidona and ISG Pearce

Now is the Time award (maintaining success in a recession)

• TLH Leisure Resort

Small Employer

• Gwellheans Ltd

Large Employer

• Ginsters
• The Donkey Foundation
• The British Army

for more information on the national traiing awards, click here