The IT team at drinks group Cadbury Schweppes has won the training department prize as well as scooping the prize for internal training project of the year in the IT Training Awards.

Freelance trainer of the year award winner Ryan Thmpson was singled out for particular praise. Whilst Firebrand Training had a hat trick, being the first ever organisation to win the training company of the year award three times in succession.

Organised by the IT Training Institute with sponsorship from the British Computer Society, the awards are designed to best practice, innovation and excellence within this specialist niche of the training industry.

The institute has been running since 1995 and became part of the National Computing Centre in 2003. Its mission is to raise the profile of trainers by improving and gaining recognition for their skills.

Don Taylor, the winner of the Colin Corder lifetime achievement award last year, was at the event this year to see a similar award presented to RM chief John Leighfield, who has been instrumental in promoting IT in education and setting up the Skills Framework for the Information Age(SFIA).

Taylor commented: "Training within an organisation can be a lonely job, and external recognition helps people know they’re doing the right job. And for training suppliers, it’s an important differentiator."

Full details of the awards and shortlisted entrants, plus pictures from the ceremony are available from the IT Training Awards website.