About the Awards
Why enter the awards?
Sometimes successful interventions do not receive the public recognition they deserve. While feedback from delegates might be very positive in a busy learning and development department it is easy to focus on the next programme or challenge without properly evaluating the impact on the individual, the team and the business of past achievements.
Here are some of the reasons why people entered last year’s awards.
- Receiving public recognition for an outstanding learning and development intervention.
- Promoting innovation in learning and development.
- Benchmarking oneself, or the organisation against best practice.
- Demonstrating the ROI for successful learning and development.
- Promoting a culture of learning.
- Promoting continuing professional development.
- Receiving an accolade from an external body.
- Publicising achievement.
- Congratulating staff.
- Motivating others to strive for the best.
The categories
1. Best public service initiative
The judging panel will be looking for learning and development intiatives from government departments, the NHS, local authorities, housing associations and so on that have made a substantial contribution towards the success of their organisation whether over the year or with reference to a specific project or innovation. Read about the 2007 winner.
2. Best not-for profit initiative
Newly established organisations and initiatives are a constant feature of this sector, so the demand for talent and skills is set to continue. The judges will be looking for entries from all third sector organisations on both a national and local level who can demonstrate that their initiative has had real impact on the organisation and its client group. Read about the 2007 winner.
3. Best commercial training initiative 1000+ employees
The judges will be looking for entries that demonstrate learning and development’s understanding of their company’s business objectives and their ability to design, deliver and evaluate their interventions accordingly. Read about the 2007 winner.
4. Best commercial training initiative under 1000 employees
Learning and development in SMEs can often take a back seat to more pressing operational issues. The judging panel will be looking for innovative solutions aimed at developing skills and producing real business results for their companies. Read about the 2007 winner.
5. Best externally developed and delivered programme
The entries to this category should be jointly submitted by the consultant, or their company, and the client organisation. The judges will be looking for evidence that the consultant has fully understood the needs of the client, and designed and delivered the most effective solution and provided appropriate assessment, evaluation and post-programme support. Read about the 2007 winner.
6. Best customer service programme
Customer Service is being increasingly recognised as the key differentiator for business success and is now the most talked about issue in boardrooms up and down the country. Developing the individuals and teams of the customer service department is therefore vital and the judges are looking for a L&D initiative that tackles the issue with clarity and commitment in order to ensure that customer service delivers real results for the business. Read about the 2007 winner.
7. Best e-learning programme
E-learning and coaching are two of the fastest growing area in learning and development at present. With technology racing ahead at a phenomenal rate we are looking for an innovative e-learning project that has produced tangible results for the implementing organisation. Read about the 2007 winner.
8. Best coaching programme
Coaching activities, along with e-learning is the biggest growth area in learning and development at the moment and the trend looks set to continue. With many organisations using line managers as coaches, there is a real need to identify potential coaches and to develop their skills. This award is looking for a coaching programme that has made a substantial contribution to organisational success. Read about the 2007 winner.
9. Best change management programme
Change is probably the only constant feature of our lives today. We are looking for a change management initiative that has produced results across a wide field of options – including culture change, mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, internal communications, performance improvement, process reengineering and so on. Read about the 2007 winner.
10. TJ’s learning and development professional of the year
What is it that makes an exceptional trainer? This award is looking for the best in the profession – this person understands the business objectives of their organisation can design and deliver solutions to meet the learning needs of its workforce and be able to assess and evaluate the outcomes to prove the return on investment was worthwhile. This award is for the outstanding in our sector and is open to learning and developments specialists from all types of organisation. Read about the 2007 winner..
11. TJ’s Special Achievement Award
This award is decided by the judging panel and represents the best overall entry for 2007 and is the most prestigious award of the programme. Read about the 2007 winner.