About the Awards
A decade of celebrating excellence in apprenticeships and workforce training.
About
The FE Week and AELP Apprenticeship and Training Awards, in association with City & Guilds and PeopleCert, are the UK’s national celebration of outstanding achievement in apprenticeships and workforce training.
Now in their tenth year, the ATAs recognise the employers, training providers, and individuals who are shaping a more skilled, inclusive, and future-ready workforce through their commitment to apprenticeships and the wider training and development agenda.
Our Story
The awards were originally founded by FE Week and AELP, launching in 2017 as the AAC Apprenticeship Awards, as part of the Apprenticeships and Training Conference. The first awards were presented in 2018, and over the decade that followed, the ATAs have grown significantly in scale, ambition, and national recognition.
Relaunched as the Apprenticeship and Training Awards in 2024, they reflect the evolving priorities of the UK’s skills landscape, moving beyond apprenticeships alone to celebrate excellence across the full breadth of workforce training and development.
The 2026 ATAs received over 700 nominations, spanning employers of every size and sector, independent training providers, FE colleges, and individual champions of skills development.
They remain a key part of the Apprenticeships and Training Conference, with FE Week and AELP continuing their support.
What the Awards Celebrate
The ATAs exist to shine a light on the organisations and individuals doing exceptional work the ones who don’t always make headlines, but who are transforming the skills and prospects of people and communities across the UK.
Across 20 categories, the awards recognise innovation in training delivery, outstanding employer commitment, excellence in learner support, and the people making a remarkable difference at every level of the sector. From large employers building flagship apprenticeship programmes to small training providers delivering life-changing outcomes, the ATAs celebrate it all.
The Awards Process
Nominations open in July 2026. Any employer, training provider, or individual working in apprenticeships and workforce training across the UK is eligible to enter. Entries are assessed by an independent panel of senior sector leaders against clear, published criteria.
National finalists are announced in December 2026 and invited to attend an exclusive parliamentary reception – one of the most prestigious gatherings in the UK skills sector – before the Awards Ceremony itself.
The Awards Evening takes place on 2 March 2027, as part of the Apprenticeships and Training Conference (ATC) Gala Dinner at the Liverpool Experience Campus (LEX). It is one of the most high-profile nights in the apprenticeships and training calendar, bringing together 750+ sector leaders to celebrate the very best of the profession.
Why Enter?
Winning or being shortlisted for an ATA is one of the most credible forms of recognition in the UK apprenticeships and training sector. Here’s what it means in practice:
- National recognition from peers, policymakers, and senior sector leaders
- An invitation to the parliamentary reception – a unique and prestigious event for all national finalists
- Attend the Awards Ceremony – celebrated in front of 750+ colleagues at the ATC Gala Dinner
Proof of excellence that you can use in marketing, recruitment, and stakeholder engagement
Benchmark your work against the best in the sector
Whether you win or not, the nominations process itself is a valuable exercise in evidencing impact, capturing outcomes, and articulating what makes your work genuinely exceptional.
