Category Archives: Awards

Lord-Lieutenant marks Doncaster business’s Queen’s awards

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Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of South Yorkshire Mr Andrew Coombe, The Queen’s personal representative, was on official duty this October as he marked a Doncaster-based business’s achievement of the Queen’s Award.

Directors from the Highfield Group were presented with a crystal bowl and commemorative certificate signed by the Queen and Prime Minister at an official presentation held at the organisation’s offices on 20 October 2016.

And guests, which included civic dignitaries, business leaders and VIPs, were treated to a performance by a choir from New College, Worcester, a school for blind and partially sighted children, on behalf of Highfield’s chosen charity, Visually Impaired Children Taking Action (VICTA).

ll-and-group-1

(L-R) Chris Sprenger (Managing Director), Richard Sprenger (Chairman), Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of South Yorkshire Mr Andrew Coombe, Jayne Sprenger, Jason Sprenger (Chief Executive).

The Highfield Group, one of the UK’s leading education organisations, was announced as the winner of the award as part of the national celebrations to celebrate HM The Queen’s 90th birthday on 21 April.

Queen’s Award winners are chosen by a panel that includes the Prime Minister and leading figures from government and industry, making it one of the most sought after accolades for British businesses.

Highfield, which has three offices across Doncaster and employs over 200 staff, is the UK and Middle East’s leading suppliers of compliance, apprenticeship and work-based learning qualifications, training materials and e-learning.

It is one of the UK’s largest exam boards, and is actively involved in the development of the UK workforce and productivity, as well as contributing to government plans for three million apprenticeships by 2020.

The organisation, which has its headquarters on Heavens Walk, works with some of the biggest names in international business to help develop their staff, including PepsiCo, Nestle, Marks & Spencer and Superdrug, and each year supports over 2 million learners across the globe to achieve their educational aspirations.

Jason Sprenger, Highfield Chief Executive, said, ‘This is a great achievement for Highfield, and I was honoured to welcome Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of South Yorkshire and accept the certificate and crystal bowl on behalf of the business and everyone here who has worked so hard to achieve it’.

Representatives from Highfield received the award in person from Her Majesty at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on 14 July 2016, with this further presentation held to celebrate the achievement alongside colleagues, customers and partners.

For more information on Highfield, go to www.highfieldabc.com For regular updates, go to https://twitter.com/HighfieldABC and www.facebook.com/HighfieldABC

For more on the Queen’s Award, go to www.gov.uk/queens-awards-for-enterprise/overview

A special offer for Highfield customers

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Last week, our directors attended a royal reception at Buckingham Palace for a very special audience with Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth to receive the Queens Award for Enterprise. The informal reception was also attended by fellow members of the royal family including Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Anne, Princess Royal, Princess Eugenie of York and Prince Edward, Duke of Kent.

To celebrate this special occasion, alongside our approaching 35 th birthday, we are delighted to announce a special offer for our loyal customers that will run for 35 days – a day for each year we have been in business.

QA or 35th Birthday SO NEW

From today until 17:00pm on Thursday 18 August 2016 , customers will receive £250 credit for every £1,000 (ex. VAT) spent in a single transaction during this period.  The credit can be used to purchase Highfield qualifications or training resources, including e-learning, as advertised on our website or within our brochure.

Terms and conditions

  • the special offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion
  • the special offer is redeemable through email and telephone orders only
  • coupon code ‘QA35’ will need to be quoted to redeem the credit
  • this offer can only be redeemed a maximum of 3 times per customer
  • the special offer expires Thursday 18 August 2016
  • minimum spend required, excludes VAT

We would like to thank you for your continued support and for all of your celebratory messages in recognition of our award.

90th birthday marks royal recognition for Highfield

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Highfield will be helping HM Queen Elizabeth II celebrate her 90 th birthday this year after winning the UK’s most prestigious business accolade, the Queen’s Award for Enterprise.

The Highfield Group, one of the UK’s leading education organisations, was announced as the winner of the award as part of the national celebrations to celebrate HM The Queen’s 90 th birthday on 21 April.

Sprenger Family Queen’s Award winners are chosen by a panel that includes the Prime Minister and leading figures from government and industry, making it one of the most sought after accolades for British businesses.

Highfield is one of the UK and Middle East’s leading suppliers of compliance, apprenticeship and work-based learning qualifications, training materials and e-learning. It is one of the UK’s largest exam boards, and is actively involved in the development of the UK workforce and productivity, as well as contributing to government plans for three million apprenticeships by 2020 and the switchover to apprenticeship trailblazers.

The organisation, which has its headquarters in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, works with some of the biggest names in international business to help develop their staff, including PepsiCo, Nestle, Marks & Spencer and Superdrug, and each year supports over 2 million learners across the globe to achieve their educational aspirations.

Jason Sprenger, Highfield Chief Executive, said, ‘I’m incredibly proud of this fantastic achievement, which is a testament to our exceptional team and their dedication to our core values of quality, value, service and integrity. It is proving to be an amazing 12 months for Highfield.  We are continuing to expand domestically and internationally, with offices recently opening in Sheffield, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, plus a new international headquarters planned for Doncaster later in 2016, and have numerous other blue chip companies that have committed to working with us going forward’.

Representatives from Highfield will receive the award in person from Her Majesty at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on 14 July 2016.  A further ceremony with the Lord Lieutenant of South Yorkshire, Mr Andrew Coombe, will take place at Highfield’s offices later in the year.
For more information on Highfield, go to www.highfieldabc.com

For regular updates, go to https://twitter.com/HighfieldABC and www.facebook.com/HighfieldABC

For more on the Queen’s Award, go to www.gov.uk/queens-awards-for-enterprise/overview

Apprenticeship success for AS Watson learner

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A Superdrug apprentice has been celebrating this autumn after being recognised in the National Apprenticeship Awards 2015 .

Karolina Apprenticeship Awards Karoline Polniaszek, from Normanton, West Yorkshire, won the McDonald’s Award for Intermediate Apprentice of the Year (Yorkshire and Humber Region) for her development with the company, which works with Highfield Awarding Body for Compliance (HABC) for apprenticeships.

The award was announced on 8 October 2015 at a high profile awards ceremony, organised by the National Apprenticeship Service and hosted by the Northern Ballet, Leeds.

Over the last two years, the Superdrug and Savers Apprenticeship programme – part of AS Watson – has recruited over 500 external apprentices, with 25 per cent of those achieving a qualification going on to be promoted into supervisory roles.  The programme, which is aimed at 16-18-year-olds interested in a career in UK retail, has seen 79 percent completing their training and being offered a permanent role within the company.

Karolina, who works on orders taken through the company’s website at the Northern Distribution Centre in Pontefract, will now progress through to the National Apprentice of the Year Awards Final being held in January next year.

Karolina Polniaszek, said, ‘I started the apprenticeship scheme last year.  My manager had encouraged me to apply after discussing my career within the business with her. The scheme has really made me step out of my comfort zone, improving my communication and presentation skills.  I’ve gained the confidence to put my ideas forward and really engage in teamwork and activities – a skill I was lacking before I started. I’d definitely recommend the scheme to others if they want to progress their skills and further their career!’

Jo Mackie, AS Watson HR Director, said, ‘We are incredibly proud of our Apprentices and are delighted that Karolina’s hard work has been rewarded with this recognition.  We are delighted that our Apprenticeships programme continues to strengthen and supports our younger colleagues with an entry into the retail industry, giving them opportunities to learn, grow and progress their careers’.

It is the latest success for AS Watson’s Apprenticeship programme which was recently recognised in The Sunday Telegraph as a top apprenticeship employer.

To find out more about AS Watson UK Apprenticeships visit www.superdrug.jobs or www.savers.jobs

Sunny start to summer for MPD

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Pera SSW Awards Stage MPD It was a sunny start to the summer as Midlands Professional Development (MPD) took one of the top prizes at the Pera Training SSW Awards.

The Nuneaton-based organisation, which is a HABC Approved Centre , took the award for best Skills Support for the Workforce (SSW) Provider after being nominated by Pera for their outstanding support and delivery of training within the SSW contract.

There was also a special mention for MPD learner Margot Roberts of Way Ahead Support Services, who was a highly-commended finalist for the ‘Most Achieved SSW Learner’, for her ‘pivotal’ SSW journey from a reluctant learner to demonstrating new-found confidence in her abilities as a result of her training.

The ceremony took place on 25 June 2015 at the Hinckley Island Hotel in Leicestershire. The SSA Awards are an exclusive celebration of the skills support and learning made possible by the European Social Fund, Skills Funding Agency and Local Enterprise Partnership , and are designed to recognise employers and learners alike who have utilised skills development in the workplace to help make a difference.

For MPD, it was the culmination of a two-year SSW scheme in which the organisation helped employers from a range of priority sectors to access expert, tailored training. So far, over 4000 learners in 1200 businesses have benefitted from the project.

Claire McKenzie, MPD Associate Directors, said, ‘Winning this award is a marvellous achievement for the company and well-earned reward for the hard work of a great team’.

For more information, click here .

MPD wins customer care aware

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Pride of Hinckley Nuneaton Awards Sept 14

MPD with their Award in Customer Care at the Oak FM Pride of Hinckley and Nuneaton Awards

Congratulations to corporate training provider Midlands Professional Development (MPD) , which won the customer care category at the Oak FM Pride of Hinckley and Nuneaton Awards 2014 .

It took the Award for Customer Care at the ceremony at the Hinckley Island Hotel on 19 September 2014, narrowly missing out on making it a double success with the small business of the year award for which it was also nominated.

Since its foundation in July 2013, MPD – which is a HABC Approved Centre – has become one of the leading providers in its region of qualifications and work-based training, gaining prominence amongst the community for its emphasis on customer focus and striving to deliver tailored training programmes sensitive to client needs.

Clair McKenzie, Associate Director at MPD, said, ‘To achieve the Award for Customer Care was a wonderful surprise. Thank you Oak FM and the judging panel. The success of MPD is due to all of our stakeholders, from our board of directors – whose vision led us to being established – to our partners, customers and especially our amazing team’.

If you would like more information or a copy of the new MPD Training Calendar, please contact the Business Team on 024 7679 6422  or email info@highfieldabc.net

More information from MPD is available here

Why three really is the magic number for Intelling at this year’s Customer Service Training Awards

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Intelling Awards - certificates Winning any award is always a big deal, but to win three is extra special.

And so it was for Intelling Ltd as it made it a summer to remember with triple honours in the fifth annual Customer Service Training Awards this July, competing against some of the biggest names in the business such as Barclays, Capita and EE.

The Manchester-based marketing and contact centre business, which is also a HABC Approved Centre , took gold in Customer Service Management and Leadership Training, a silver in Sales Through Service and – for the triple whammy – a bronze in the Hearts and Minds (Employee Engagement) category.

Held every year, the awards are hosted by the Customer Service Training Network and are the first of their kind specifically developed for customer service trainers all over the world.

Intelling Awards - team Simon Wilson, Head of People Services at Intelling Ltd, said, ‘We are delighted to have won three awards in all three categories we entered.

As a relatively new business we were initially happy to be nominated as finalist, especially when you look at some of the other competitors such as major international corporations and banks. And yet through our determination and drive as a business and management team, we were able to take home three awards, which is an incredible achievement for everyone here.

These awards will assist and develop our momentum further in our fields of expertise, and create demand for our brands nationally, which itself will in turn help all of our existing and future clients. We’re also looking to develop our relationship with HABC even further and have a number of exciting new developments lined up’.

A full list of winners from the Customer Service Training Awards can be found here .

Silver success for Exclusec

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Exclusec Manchester-based security firm Exclusec was celebrating this Spring after taking silver in the coveted SCOOT Headline Awards for British Business .

The firm, which is a HABC Approved Centre, was presented with its award at a prestigious ceremony in The River Room at Millbank Tower , London on 28 April 2014.

The SCOOT Awards recognises success in areas of commercial achievement such as expansion, increased profits, export orders and new jobs created. Over a million companies from the UK were invited to submit entries telling their success stories, with only a few – such as Exclusec – achieving an award, which were presented by TV and stage actress Ebony Feare.

scoot_headline_logo-538x218 Michelle Khan, Operations & Compliance Director of Exclusec, said, ‘The team have worked very hard over the past few years to develop a successful security and training business which is rapidly growing, creating masses of opportunity for the unemployed as well as providing quality service for our customers. It is appreciated that this has been recognised by winning this award, hard work certainly pays off and we look forward to continuing our expansion’.

Rachael Hanson, Exclusec’s Account Manager at HABC, said, ‘This is a fantastic achievement by an organisation that has shown its commitment to raising standards in the security sector through training and qualifications. Only the very best organisations receive such recognition and it is testament to Exclusec’s dedication and professionalism that they have been honoured in this way’.

For more information on Exclusec, go to http://www.exclusec.co.uk/ .

MP Rosie Winterton visits ‘Large Business of the Year’

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Rosie Winterton MP (l) with Jason Sprenger (Highfield Chief Executive - centre) and Christian Sprenger (right).

Rosie Winterton MP (l) with Jason Sprenger (Highfield Chief Executive – centre) and Christian Sprenger (right).

It was an education for Doncaster Central MP Rosie Winterton as she visited Doncaster’s ‘ Large Business of the Year ’, the Highfield Group.

Ms Winterton dropped in to the offices of Highfield to offer some New Year cheer and congratulate staff and directors on winning the ‘Large Business of the Year’ category in the Doncaster Chamber Business Awards in December 2013.

SpeakingwithJason The Doncaster Central MP was given a hands-on experience as she was shown how vocational qualifications such as NVQs and apprenticeships are developed, and how further education is helping to meet the needs of young people and workers in Doncaster and the UK.

Ms Winterton said, ‘I would like to congratulate Highfield on their award and am delighted to have had the opportunity to visit them and see for myself the work that they do. Providing opportunities for people to obtain vocational qualifications and apprenticeships is important in helping people to gain employment and develop their careers, which in turn will help to grow our economy. I am pleased that we have such a successful company in this field here in Doncaster’.

Jason Sprenger, Highfield’s Chief Executive, said, ‘It was a huge honour to welcome Ms Winterton to our office and have our recent achievements, including the Chamber award, acknowledged. Highfield is a global leader in our specialised fields and we are delighted to have that recognised. 2013 was an incredible year for us – with nearly 80 new staff recruited and some incredible achievements in terms of the work we have done – including significant development within our apprenticeship offering. We are confident that 2014 is going to be even more successful’.

Walkaround The visit took place at HABC’s head office, Highfield House, Heaven’s Walk, Doncaster, on 10 January 2014.

SIV Ltd celebrates St. John Ambulance awards success

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Andrew Snelling(Deputy Chief Executive for SIV Ltd), Rachael Pyecroft (Graves Training Centre Manager) and Mark Cowen (Graves & Heeley General Manager)

Andrew Snelling(Deputy Chief Executive for SIV Ltd), Rachael Pyecroft (Graves Training Centre Manager) and Mark Cowen (Graves & Heeley General Manager)

Sheffield International Venues (SIV) Ltd is celebrating after it beat nearly 300 other businesses to make it into the top 10 of the St John Ambulance awards.

The Sheffield sport, leisure and entertainment company – which is one of the largest of its kind in Europe and includes the Motorpoint Arena , Ponds Forge and Sheffield City Hall amongst its venues – finished as one of the finalists in the Organisation of the Year for First Aid Excellence category in the St. John Ambulance ‘Everyday Heroes Awards’ , which recognises those who have used first aid to save a life and the individuals and businesses that have championed the cause.

Rachael Pyecroft, Graves Training Centre Manager, SIV Ltd, said, ‘It was a fantastic achievement for us to be a finalist and reach the last 10, as it acknowledges the hard work and dedication the team here have put into making first aid training a priority. The recognition has reinforced our commitment to first aid and we’re determined that next year we’ll do even better’.

Ryan Beresford, Account Manager at HABC, said, ‘It’s always great to see clients recognised this way, and we’re delighted for the team at SIV Ltd. They are seeing the benefits of using HABC qualifications, both in terms of what those qualifications give to individual learners and for the wider recognition they bring to organisations as a whole’.

Graves Training Centre excels in meeting all company training requirements including bespoke training packages.  Contact 0114 237 4563 for further information.