In the realm of workplace learning and development, few accolades carry as much weight as the Princess Royal Training Awards. For ten years, these prestigious Awards have been shining a spotlight on organisations that go above and beyond in their commitment to training and skills development. From multinational corporations to small non-profits, the Awards have become the gold standard in the field, showcasing the transformative power of investing in people.

To mark this milestone, we sat down with Fenella Tallon, the Chief Assessor of the Princess Royal Training Awards. Over the past ten years, Fenella has witnessed firsthand the evolution of workplace training programmes across the UK and Ireland. Her role as Chief Assessor, combined with her experience in NHS mental health initiatives and advisory work for local authorities, provides her with unparalleled insights into the innovative approaches that have emerged.

How did you first become involved with the Princess Royal Training Awards?

I was previously an Assessor for the National Training Awards (NTA) from 2004 until the final year of the NTA in 2012. I was also an Assessor for the Apprenticeship Awards from 2006. In 2015, I was approached by Paul Robertson, a fellow NTA and Apprenticeship Awards Assessor who had been developing the Princess Royal Training Awards with City & Guilds, to apply for the Assessor role. I jumped at the chance as this was a new approach and it was such a fantastic opportunity to be there at the very start.

What does the role of an Assessor involve?

The Assessor Team carries out the assessment part of the process which involves two stages: assessing a written application form and then carrying out a visit to applicants who get through the first stage. During the visits, Assessors get to ask people directly how the training has helped them, which is the highlight of the process. As support for applicants has developed over the years, I have helped deliver workshops and am part of the team that gives feedback on draft applications. We give hints and tips about what’s good in a draft application and how to improve it.

It is an exciting year for the Awards, with the ten-year anniversary – how have the Awards evolved over the years and what are you most looking forward to for the future? 

One of our main goals has been to make the Awards accessible to organisations of all types and structures. In the first couple of years, applications came through from groups of employers and this wasn’t something we had been expecting. Recognising the value of these collaborative training models, we expanded our eligibility criteria to encompass these collective efforts.

Looking ahead to 2026, we are excited to explore the possibility of recognising organisations with global training programmes and we’re researching how this might work with potential applicants. We are consulting with our Alumni network to see if there is an appetite for this and if so, what it might look like. It’s a fantastic opportunity to broaden the scope of the Awards.

Have there been any particularly inspiring or innovative programmes from organisations that have achieved the Awards? 

We had an application that was both inspiring and innovative in 2017. Macmillan Caring Locally, a hospice charity in Christchurch, Dorset, implemented a programme to cope with increased referrals without hiring more staff. They trained volunteers to perform various tasks beyond making coffee and doing the bingo, from delivering training to fixing wheelchairs, which meant they could effectively manage demand.

In 2023, the programme leader applied again with a different charity, the Ancient Technologies Volunteer Association, a charity preserving a historical site spanning from the Stone Age to Viking era. Facing budget cuts, they developed a three-year strategy focusing on volunteer recruitment, training, and knowledge-sharing. This led to incredible results, with volunteer numbers tripling from 15 to 48 and the site achieving its highest revenue year to date.

The Awards have made quite an impact over the past decade. How do you hope they’ll continue to inspire positive change in the future of training and skills development? 

As the Alumni community grows, I hope that the opportunities to share good practice will increase. The City & Guilds Foundation’s skills-share event in May 2024 was a huge success and attracted over 100 people. Hearing people share their stories and having a focus on hot topics like supporting neurodiverse learners was so inspiring. And of course, having the Princess Royal in attendance and listening to participants share their transformative training journeys adds a special touch.

What criteria do you use to assess the applications? 

We have very specific criteria which are designed to help applicants focus on why a training programme was needed, how it was designed and delivered and what the impact of it has been. The Assessors score the applications against the criteria and make a decision about whether or not to recommend that the application progresses to the next stage of the process.

The application criteria are centred around what we call the ‘three hallmarks of excellence’. Hallmark 1 focuses on the ‘why’, examining why applicants chose training, learning and development to address a challenge or opportunity. Hallmark 2, the ‘how’, delves into the mechanics of training design and implementation, and Hallmark 3, the ‘so what’, hones in on the impact on individuals and the organisation. The application also requires a response about how best practice will be shared, as well as a senior manager’s endorsement. The Assessors look at the whole application holistically as well as scoring the individual sections to determine its overall merit. 

Do you have any advice for someone considering applying for the Awards? 

Think about the programme you would put forward for the Award. Assessors want to hear the story of the challenge you were up against or the opportunity you had and how and why you used training to address it. It’s best to focus on a particular challenge rather than say ‘we wanted to train our staff and this is what we did’. You’ll need to tell us about the impact the training has had on your people and on the organisation and it’s easier to do this when focusing in on a particular issue. What would success look like for you, and did you achieve it?

Is your organisation seeking acknowledgement for a training programme which has made a positive difference on your organisation? If so, why not apply now? This is a unique opportunity to showcase your commitment to training and development and be recognised for your achievements. Applications are open until 31 March 2025. You can sign up for a free workshop to find out more.

Useful links:
The Princess Royal Training Awards website 
Details for the support workshops 
Find out if you are eligible
Alumni network 
Recipients 2024 
Boost’s award writing services https://boost-awards.co.uk/  

In the realm of workplace learning and development, few accolades carry as much weight as the Princess Royal Training Awards. For ten years, these prestigious Awards have been shining a spotlight on organisations that go above and beyond in their commitment to training and skills development. From multinational corporations to small non-profits, the Awards have become the gold standard in the field, showcasing the transformative power of investing in people.

To mark this milestone, we sat down with Fenella Tallon, the Chief Assessor of the Princess Royal Training Awards. Over the past ten years, Fenella has witnessed firsthand the evolution of workplace training programmes across the UK and Ireland. Her role as Chief Assessor, combined with her experience in NHS mental health initiatives and advisory work for local authorities, provides her with unparalleled insights into the innovative approaches that have emerged.

How did you first become involved with the Princess Royal Training Awards?

I was previously an Assessor for the National Training Awards (NTA) from 2004 until the final year of the NTA in 2012. I was also an Assessor for the Apprenticeship Awards from 2006. In 2015, I was approached by Paul Robertson, a fellow NTA and Apprenticeship Awards Assessor who had been developing the Princess Royal Training Awards with City & Guilds, to apply for the Assessor role. I jumped at the chance as this was a new approach and it was such a fantastic opportunity to be there at the very start.

What does the role of an Assessor involve?

The Assessor Team carries out the assessment part of the process which involves two stages: assessing a written application form and then carrying out a visit to applicants who get through the first stage. During the visits, Assessors get to ask people directly how the training has helped them, which is the highlight of the process. As support for applicants has developed over the years, I have helped deliver workshops and am part of the team that gives feedback on draft applications. We give hints and tips about what’s good in a draft application and how to improve it.

It is an exciting year for the Awards, with the ten-year anniversary – how have the Awards evolved over the years and what are you most looking forward to for the future? 

One of our main goals has been to make the Awards accessible to organisations of all types and structures. In the first couple of years, applications came through from groups of employers and this wasn’t something we had been expecting. Recognising the value of these collaborative training models, we expanded our eligibility criteria to encompass these collective efforts.

Looking ahead to 2026, we are excited to explore the possibility of recognising organisations with global training programmes and we’re researching how this might work with potential applicants. We are consulting with our Alumni network to see if there is an appetite for this and if so, what it might look like. It’s a fantastic opportunity to broaden the scope of the Awards.

Have there been any particularly inspiring or innovative programmes from organisations that have achieved the Awards? 

We had an application that was both inspiring and innovative in 2017. Macmillan Caring Locally, a hospice charity in Christchurch, Dorset, implemented a programme to cope with increased referrals without hiring more staff. They trained volunteers to perform various tasks beyond making coffee and doing the bingo, from delivering training to fixing wheelchairs, which meant they could effectively manage demand.

In 2023, the programme leader applied again with a different charity, the Ancient Technologies Volunteer Association, a charity preserving a historical site spanning from the Stone Age to Viking era. Facing budget cuts, they developed a three-year strategy focusing on volunteer recruitment, training, and knowledge-sharing. This led to incredible results, with volunteer numbers tripling from 15 to 48 and the site achieving its highest revenue year to date.

The Awards have made quite an impact over the past decade. How do you hope they’ll continue to inspire positive change in the future of training and skills development? 

As the Alumni community grows, I hope that the opportunities to share good practice will increase. The City & Guilds Foundation’s skills-share event in May 2024 was a huge success and attracted over 100 people. Hearing people share their stories and having a focus on hot topics like supporting neurodiverse learners was so inspiring. And of course, having the Princess Royal in attendance and listening to participants share their transformative training journeys adds a special touch.

What criteria do you use to assess the applications? 

We have very specific criteria which are designed to help applicants focus on why a training programme was needed, how it was designed and delivered and what the impact of it has been. The Assessors score the applications against the criteria and make a decision about whether or not to recommend that the application progresses to the next stage of the process.

The application criteria are centred around what we call the ‘three hallmarks of excellence’. Hallmark 1 focuses on the ‘why’, examining why applicants chose training, learning and development to address a challenge or opportunity. Hallmark 2, the ‘how’, delves into the mechanics of training design and implementation, and Hallmark 3, the ‘so what’, hones in on the impact on individuals and the organisation. The application also requires a response about how best practice will be shared, as well as a senior manager’s endorsement. The Assessors look at the whole application holistically as well as scoring the individual sections to determine its overall merit. 

Do you have any advice for someone considering applying for the Awards? 

Think about the programme you would put forward for the Award. Assessors want to hear the story of the challenge you were up against or the opportunity you had and how and why you used training to address it. It’s best to focus on a particular challenge rather than say ‘we wanted to train our staff and this is what we did’. You’ll need to tell us about the impact the training has had on your people and on the organisation and it’s easier to do this when focusing in on a particular issue. What would success look like for you, and did you achieve it?

Is your organisation seeking acknowledgement for a training programme which has made a positive difference on your organisation? If so, why not apply now? This is a unique opportunity to showcase your commitment to training and development and be recognised for your achievements. Applications are open until 31 March 2025. You can sign up for a free workshop to find out more.

Useful links:
The Princess Royal Training Awards website 
Details for the support workshops 
Find out if you are eligible
Alumni network 
Recipients 2024 
Boost’s award writing services https://boost-awards.co.uk/