SIX KEY PLAYERS BACK COLAS AWARDS

TV Presenter Fearne Cotton.

Some of the region's best known organisations are backing the LSC in Yorkshire and the Humber's drive to recognise exceptional achievements in learning and skills and to highlight the vital contribution that skills make to the region's economy.

Yorkshire Forward, Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority, Digital 2010, Yorkshire and Humberside Assessment Limited, Community Training Services and the Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Skills Partnership, who between them employ over 13,500 people in the region, have all signed up as sponsors of the forthcoming Celebration of Learning and Skills Awards 2008, CoLaS, a spectacular ceremony which will be hosted by celebrity presenter, Fearne Cotton, at the Harrogate International Centre on 16th April 2008.

Yorkshire Forward, the Regional Development Agency, has pledged its support with sponsorship of the Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies Award. It supports and develops businesses in the region by encouraging financial investment and investment in skills.

Thea Stein, executive director of Economic Inclusion, Yorkshire Forward, said: "Yorkshire Forward is investing in a programme of activity addressing the higher level skills needs of priority sectors in Yorkshire and the Humber, including Advanced Engineering and Materials. The sponsorship of a CoLaS award is part of this and an excellent opportunity to celebrate demand led, high quality training that addresses the needs of businesses in Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies."

Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority is sponsoring the Health, Public Services and Care category which is a great opportunity to showcase their work and the significant improvements made in health-care in the region, including a dramatic reduction in waiting times, improvements in care for people with cancer and heart disease and repairs and rebuilding of many parts of the NHS estate.

Margaret Edwards, chief executive, NHS Yorkshire and the Humber, said: "The clinical landscape is constantly changing so it is important that our workforce update their skills on a regular basis, it is, therefore, appropriate that we sponsor this award. It is also about giving credit where credit is due, the people who work in Health, Public Services and Care in Yorkshire and the Humber do a very difficult job very well and it is gratifying to be able to celebrate what they do in this way."

CoLaS supporters (L-R) Sharon Pickering,
director, Regional Skills Partnership, Sue
Sykes, learning skills project manager,
Yorkshire Forward, Carol Reid, chief
executive, Yorkshire and Humberside
Assessment, Steve Holmes, managing
director, Community Training Services
and John Popham, consultant, Digital 2010.

Yorkshire and Humber Digital 2010 has a vision to provide all people in the region with digital and information, communication and technology (ICT) skills needed to access employment opportunities and develop professionally. The development of learning and skills is at the heart of its work and vision and the chance to sponsor the Information and Communication Technology CoLaS Award and celebrate the achievements of employers and learning in this sector was a fitting opportunity.

Yorkshire and Humberside Assessment Limited provides business improvement services through the Investors in People standard and is sponsoring the Retail and Commercial Enterprise category.

Carole Reid, chief executive of Yorkshire and Humberside Assessment Limited, the region's Investors in People Centre, said: "Good planning and delivery of people development can significantly boost any employer's productivity, as we've seen in our work with hundreds of organisations in the Yorkshire and Humberside region. For this reason, we are hugely excited to be sponsoring the CoLaS Retail and Commercial Enterprise award, which recognises companies and individuals that have demonstrated excellence in this area."

Community Training Services (CTS) is sponsoring the Outstanding Achiever award. It delivers Government funded training particularly to socially disadvantaged and disengaged clients of all age groups. Their work and sponsorship is concerned with outstanding achievements which are not solely academic or professional but about journeys and improvements in learning and skills, many against the odds, this is also at the heart of CoLaS 2008.

Steve Holmes, managing director, Community Training Services, said: "We are delighted to sponsor the Outstanding Achiever award at this remarkable event. As a provider of quality training and development, with the learner at the heart of everything we deliver, it is great to have the opportunity to take a step back and celebrate the outstanding achievements of learners across Yorkshire and Humberside."

Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Skills Partnership is sponsoring the Business, Administration and Law category and saw this as a natural fit for its work, which ensures that the 'demands' for skills from businesses, communities and individuals is matched by the 'suppliers' of skills development and supported by the organisations that fund or invest in skills training.

Margaret Coleman, regional director for the LSC in Yorkshire and the Humber, said: "CoLaS 2008 is a regional first, a celebration at an unprecedented level. The awards reflect the true diversity of achievements in learning and skills across the region and it is testament to this that six key players in the regional skills and business arena have chosen to support us. I'd like to thank our sponsors for their involvement and say how delighted I am that we can work together to reward individuals and employers who have succeeded in learning and skills."

To see a full list of award categories and the shortlisted nominees, click the image above.