Wales’s leading training provider, ACT, is delighted to be named UK Employer of the Year: Platinum (250+),at The Investors in People Awards 2021!
It is proud to be leading the way among educational employers in Wales, adding this prestigious award to a number of other great honours collected this year. The Investors in People title was announced at a virtual ceremony on Tuesday November 23.
ACT has branches in Cardiff, Caerphilly, Barry, Bridgend and more, helping thousands of young people in these areas learn practical skills, to prepare them for the world of work.
ACT was also ranked the 5th Best Education and Training Company to Work For in the UK, in this year’s prestigious Best Companies List. It was further officially recognised as a World Class Organisation to work for, having received 3 Star accreditation from Best Companies!
While ACT came up against some tough competition, it was its strong focus on the continued happiness and engagement of staff, along with its commitment to maintaining a positive people-centred culture, that secured the award.
Richard Spear, Managing Director of ACT, said: “We are absolutely delighted to win this prestigious award in the face of incredibly strong competition. The award will inspire us to do even more to make ACT a brilliant place to work.”
ACT goes the extra mile to ensure teams feels supported, empowered and recognised for the incredible work it does every day. It has a well-established coaching culture throughout the organisation, which allows it to use coaching as a development tool. This lets staff come up with their own solutions to problems and they have the freedom and autonomy to do the right thing for learners.
It overcame many challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on wellbeing that helped secure an unwavering team spirit. It invested in a wellbeing hub; a multi-purpose space that houses the ACT wellbeing team, plus pod spaces for quiet working. Centres were closed at noon on more than 30 Fridays, to improve staff wellbeing.
Andrew Cooksley, CEO of ACT, said: “I’m absolutely knocked out by this award. It’s by far our best achievement to date. It’s testament to the investment we’ve made in our staff and their development.
“It’s clear to us that good staff engagement, wellbeing and happiness is the bedrock of a successful organisation.”
He added: “Hopefully, through achieving this award, we can lead by example and encourage and support other organisations across Wales and the UK to further invest in their people and reap the huge rewards.
“We’d like to thank all of our fantastic staff, learners, employers, partners and the judging panel at Investors in People, along with our practitioner Kevin Christie, for this incredible honour.”
Paul Devoy, Investors in People, said: “The Investors in People Awards 2021 was a record-breaking year, in regards to the number of entries and number of organisations entering. So, for every organisation that won, your win will taste a little bit sweeter!
“I am so proud of every organisation that entered this year, demonstrating their fantastic commitment to making work better. And as a winner, ACT really stands out amongst the crowd. A huge well done to all involved!”
