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Enlarged event to spotlight innovation, transforming workplace culture and key opportunities for the sector

ukactive today (6 October) announced the finalists for the Active Training Awards 2016, which will this year be expanded to a full-scale conference with lively debates and keynotes on some of the sector’s hottest topics.

Delivered in partnership with CIMSPA and sponsored by Active IQ, the Active Training Awards take place at the Hilton in Reading on the evening of 30th November. Due to high demand, the Active Training Workshop which precedes the Awards will be a full-day conference with over 200 delegates in attendance.

Next month’s scaled-up Active Training Workshop will look at key business topics such as fostering innovation, developing future leaders and how to create a winning company culture. There will also be debates on some of the biggest issues facing the sector today, such as the merits of online courses, how to professionalise the sector, and the impact of the Apprenticeship Levy.

Virgin Active’s recently-appointed People Director Hilary Tysoe will apply learnings from a glittering career at building giant Travis Perkins in her speech on creating a culture fit for the future and the role that the leading employers must play in the development of the entire sector’s workforce.

In addition, there will be keynotes from Nick Pontefract, Head of Sport at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport; and Phil Smith, Director of Sport at Sport England. Nick has been influential in developing and implementing the government’s strategy for physical activity and sport – Sporting Future: A New Strategy for an Active Nation, while Phil oversees the sector’s workforce development in line with the new Sport England strategy – Towards an Active Nation.

As ever, the event will culminate with the highly-anticipated Active Training Awards, recognising the organisations and individuals who are leading the way in skills and workforce development. The shortlisted finalists comprise providers of training and employers of physical activity professionals in the sector who have performed exceptionally well in the past year. These candidates will go through one final stage of assessment before learning if they are among the winners of eight awards up for grabs on the night.

ukactive Chair Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson said: “The increasing size and scale of the awards demonstrates the wonderful strides the physical activity sector has taken in the past few years. It underlines the appetite and scope of our workforce to play a leading role in shaping the preventative health agenda.

“These awards offer the chance to celebrate those who have taken the lead in developing excellent training and vocational education. It is also exciting to see a full-scale conference taking place this year, encompassing a diverse range of speakers and panellists who will help us to explore the major areas of opportunity in our sector.”

Jenny Patrickson, Managing Director of Active IQ, which is the headline sponsor of the awards, said: “Active IQ is passionate about continuously raising standards in our sector and this event provides a welcome opportunity to recognise and reward excellence within this context.

“We are pleased to see an increase in the size of the awards and the values which it embodies, and we’re looking forward to congratulating the worthy winners on the night.”

Tara Dillon, Chief Executive Officer, CIMSPA added: “The sector is making steady progress in its ongoing professionalisation and it’s vital that we champion success so that we are continually raising the bar. Vocational training and skills development are constantly being refined and the rigorous application and assessment process for the Active Training Awards offer an ideal opportunity for self-reflection and external feedback from a top quality judging panel.”

The shortlist (see below) of Active Training Awards Finalists 2016 is now available to view on the ukactive website, where you can also buy tickets to the awards night and conference.

Active Training Awards Finalists 2016

Health and Wellbeing Training Programme

  • Places for People Leisure
  • AoC Sport
  • The Academy for Health Coaching
  • GymCube.com

Employer of the Year

  • Fusion Lifestyle
  • Right Directions (Management) Ltd
  • Places for People Leisure
  • GLL
  • Everyone Active
  • Jubilee Hall Trust
  • Everybody Sport & Recreation

Best Use of Technology

  • Train Fitness International Limited
  • Fusion Lifestyle
  • Lifetime Training
  • YMCA Awards
  • ICS Learn

Supplier Learning & Development Provider

  • Les Mills UK
  • YOUR Personal Training
  • Sport Structures
  • Body Transformation Academy
  • Technogym Wellness Institute
  • Core Health & Fitness

Innovative Training Programme of the Year

  • Active Nation
  • Body Transformation Academy
  • Exercise, Movement & Dance Partnership (EMDP)
  • Future Fit Training Ltd

Apprenticeship Provider of the Year

  • Lifetime Training
  • ICON TRAINING
  • YMCAfit
  • Sport Structures
  • FIT UK Training & Education Ltd
  • SCL Education Group

Training Provider of the Year

  • Future Fit Training Ltd
  • ICON TRAINING
  • YMCAfit
  • Lifetime Training
  • Sport Structures
  • Gemma Quinnell’s Health Fitness & Dance Ltd
  • Premier Training International

Activity Champion of the Year

  • Richard Scrivener, Train Fitness International Limited
  • Katie Bulmer-Cooke, Future Fit Training Ltd
  • Mac Cleves, GLL
  • Teresa Wheatley, YMCAfit
  • Lindsey Perry, Fusion Lifestyle
  • Kelly Coates, Fusion Lifestyle
  • Caroline Parsons, Exercise Movement & Dance Partnership (EMDP)