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National Training Awards shortlist announced

More than 200 organisations and individuals from across the UK have reached the finals of this year's National Training Awards. The awards, which this year have seen a 28% increase in entries, aim to celebrate the outstanding success of individuals and organisations.

Of this year's finalists, 47 are working on projects for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games and 131 have signed up to the governments Skills Pledge, a voluntary, public commitment to develop employees' basic skills and work towards relevant qualifications to at least Level 2.

The 232 finalists include:

• Wm Morrison Supermarkets (West Yorkshire) - UK's fourth largest food retailer has trained more than 110,000 staff to help meet its carbon and energy targets
• RNLI, Poole (Dorset) - A training course implemented to recruit professional seafarers to join the service resulting in 1000 new people training since 2005
• The National Audit Office (London) - The organisation that has audited the spending of government for over 400 years trains managers to cope with the changes and demands of its services
• Andrew Clark Ltd (Nottinghamshire) - Nottinghamshire optometrist designs training programme for Vision Express leading to a boost in sales
• Kier Group Plc (Bedfordshire) - Leading construction group changes how it develops senior managers and directors - 60% of all director appointments are internal
• Queensmill School, London - A holistic approach is taken to raise up staff to tackle the issues of autism

The Awards are organised on behalf of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills by UK Skills.

UK Skills chief executive, Simon Bartley, said: "The National Training Awards provide tangible examples of the positive effects of investment in high quality training. I am delighted to see such a diverse range of quality entries in 2008. On behalf of UK Skills I would like to congratulate the finalists who have made the shortlist for the Awards.

"It's clear that individuals and organisations who invest in high quality training reap the benefits. Training not only increases performance and generates growth but it fosters team building and leads to the broader success of the organisation."

Regional and national winners will be announced at a series of ceremonies held throughout the UK between September and November. Then the 2008 'Winners of the Year' will be revealed at a ceremony held in London's Royal Lancaster Hotel on Thursday 11 December 2008.

The premier sponsor of the National Training Awards is City & Guilds. The Awards are also supported by Investors in People.

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