Our Awards Programme recognises and celebrates the outstanding achievements of learners, trainers and employers who demonstrate excellence in skills development.
The programme of awards recognises the very best individuals and organisations from all sectors excellence in training, learning and applying these skills in the workplace.
Some of the awards can be entered via nomination or application; others are conferred upon exceptional candidates through internal processes.
What is the Awards Programme?
The Awards Programme is comprised of a wide range of honours, which reward and recognise individuals and organisations who have demonstrated exceptional achievement through training and skills development.
Collectively, these accolades honour:
- Organisations who have developed outstanding training initiatives
- Trainers delivering City & Guilds or ILM qualifications
- Individuals who have excelled in the workplace, or in their learning
In addition, the Awards Programme rewards excellence at all levels:
- Locally City & Guilds Commendations can be conferred on learners and tutors directly by their organisations in the UK
- Nationally Fellowship can be achieved by sponsorship or nomination by other Fellows
All award recipients have one thing in common - they have demonstrated the highest standards of commitment, passion and excellence in learning, training and skills development.
Picture by David and Charmian Mocatta
Awards celebrate achievement
Receiving an award or honour is a route for individuals and organisations to celebrate their achievements or raise their profiles.
Prestige and industry-wide recognition
- The Professional Recognition Awards and Fellowship carry internationally-recognised post-nominal letters (letters used after an individual’s name)
- Two of the accolades – the Princess Royal Training Awards and The Prince Philip Medal – have royal involvement
Raising standards
- Individuals qualifying for a bursary benefit from financial assistance to study a City & Guilds or ILM qualification
- Organisations applying for the Princess Royal Training Awards receive feedback and evaluation, allowing them to plan and deliver their training in a more effective way
The Princess Royal Training Awards
The Princess Royal Training Awards
Candidates: Employers
Method of entry: Application
The Princess Royal Training Awards honours organisations which have created outstanding training and skills development programmes resulting in exceptional benefits. It is the only award that links training and business success.
Organisations which demonstrate they have reached the specified standards of excellence will receive the award.
The awards are presented through The City and Guilds of London Institute.
Receiving this prestigious award is a benchmark that distinguishes an organisation from its competitors in the area of training and skills.
Find out more about the Princess Royal Training Awards
The Prince Philip Medal
The Prince Philip Medal
Candidates: Past learners
Method of entry: Nomination only
The Prince Philip Medal champions the link between training and career success. It honours an exceptional individual, with City & Guilds qualifications, who started at the bottom of their career ladder and has reached a high management position.
The recipient of the Prince Philip Medal is chosen through an internal process.
The medallist, together with one or two Highly Commended Certificate recipients, receives their awards at the prestigious annual Palace Awards Ceremony.
The accolades are presented through The City and Guilds of London Institute.
Find out more about the Prince Philip Medal and the Palace Awards
The President's Award
The President’s Award
Candidates: Tutors
Method of entry: Directly awarded
The President’s Award honours tutors who have excelled in delivering City & Guilds qualifications.
The shortlist of candidates for the award is compiled purely from the highest scoring tutors from the Medals for Excellence award recipients.
Recipients are then chosen from this shortlist by the current President of The City and Guilds of London Institute, HRH The Princess Royal, and presented with their award at the prestigious annual Palace Awards ceremony.
The accolade is presented through City and Guilds of London Institute.
Find out more about the President’s Award and the Palace Awards
Medals for Excellence
Medals for Excellence
Candidates: Learners and tutors
Method of entry: Nomination by educational centres
Medals for Excellence rewards learners and tutors for achievement, hard work and journey progression.
The medals are presented through City & Guilds and are given annually at regional ceremonies.
The award encourages further successes – the top scoring medal recipients are automatically considered for the Lion Awards. The President’s Award and the Livery Awards also create their shortlists from Medals for Excellence high-scoring candidates.
Find out more about Medals for Excellence
The Lion Awards
The Lion Awards
Candidates: Learners and tutors
Method of entry: Directly awarded
The Lion Awards is a culmination of the Medals for Excellence programme. It rewards learners and tutors for their achievement, hard work and journey progression. It also recognises outstanding centres of learning.
The awards showcase the very best talent, with recipients being chosen exclusively from Medals for Excellence award holders in all categories.
The Lion Awards is presented through City & Guilds.
Find out more about the Lion Awards
City and Guilds Fellowship
Fellowship of The City and Guilds of London Institute
Candidates: Individuals
Method of entry: Conferred on recipient
Fellowship is the highest honour bestowed by the Council of The City and Guilds of London Institute. The title is conferred upon individuals who have displayed the very highest excellence in their field, gained the respect of their peers and can be considered role models for their profession.
Candidates must have have demonstrated outstanding professional and personal achievement over a number of years, at the highest levels of responsibility and influence.
Generally, Fellows are from the following areas:
- Industry: Chief executive officer; managing director; board member; specialist employee with high-level responsibility for a particular part of the organisation
- Education and academia: Vice-chancellors; principal; head of key department; specialist whose research or administrative flair has had significant practical application and results
- Government and public sector: Holders of a senior office in the military (likely to be one-star or above); police; fire; prison; health or civil services; member of parliament; working peer
Fellowship is conferred twice a year, by the Council of the City and Guilds of London Institute.
Find out more about Fellowship
Livery Company Award
The Livery Awards
Candidates: Tutors and learners
Method of entry: Directly awarded
The Livery Awards honour outstanding achievements from learners and tutors, who have taken or delivered City & Guilds qualifications in the trade of the Livery Company.
A wide range of Livery Companies take part in the awards each year, bringing a diverse range of disciplines to the awards on offer.
Award recipients are chosen by the respective Livery Company, from either:
- Directly identified by the Livery Company
- A shortlist of Medals for Excellence award recipients
The awards are presented through The City and Guilds of London Institute.
Find out more about the The Livery Awards
The Professional Recognition Awards
The Professional Recognition Awards
Candidates: Past learners
Method of entry: Application
The Professional Recognition Awards celebrate the link between training and the highest levels of career success.
The awards are National Qualifications Framework (NQF) accredited qualifications. Individuals at the highest professional levels within their chosen careers can achieve them by submitting a portfolio of evidence demonstrating how they have met the award criteria.
Those achieving the awards are entitled to use the appropriate post-nominal: Licentiateship (LCGI), Affiliateship (AfCGI), Graduateship (GCGI), or Membership (MCGI).
The Professional Recognition Awards are presented through City & Guilds.
Find out how to apply for the Professional Recognition Awards
City & Guilds Commendations
City & Guilds Commendations
Candidates: Learners and tutors
Method of entry: Awarded directly by Further Education colleges and Private Training Providers
City & Guilds Commendations are a local award, allowing organisations to directly reward their learners and tutors for their hard work and achievement.
Once a term, individual centres can reward up to five of their learners plus one tutor for success in categories including:
- Learner who has made the biggest improvement
- Most inspirational tutor
Commendations are presented through City & Guilds.
Commendations are a fast, simple and effective way for organisations to give learners and tutors recognition. At the same time, they are a validation that the organisation delivers outstanding training.
Find out more about City & Guilds Commendations