London-based recipients were honoured by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal during a prestigious ceremony at Goldsmiths’ Hall in London, where they received their Princess Royal Training Awards.
Now in its ninth year, the awards—delivered by the City & Guilds Foundation—recognise organisations that create exceptional and impactful learning and development programmes. This year’s recipients represent a diverse group, including SMEs, non-profits, and multinational corporations, with innovations spanning key areas such as sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and upskilling.
These prestigious awards celebrate organisations that drive positive change by investing in workforce training, contributing to societal and economic progress. The event also welcomed previous winners, such as Specsavers, The Master Innholders, and Unique Senior Care, who returned to revalidate their training programmes after three or more years—demonstrating their ongoing commitment to skills development.
Dena Wyatt, Head of Apprenticeships at Specsavers, reflected on the value of revalidation, stating:
“Revalidation of the Princess Royal Training Award has enhanced our Apprenticeship development at Specsavers. This prestigious recognition has not only endorsed our commitment to high-quality training but also fostered a culture of continuous growth and loyalty among our colleagues.”
Highlights from This Year’s Winners
- National Theatre: As one of the largest national theatre companies in the UK, the National Theatre developed an apprenticeship programme to address diversity gaps and skills shortages in backstage roles. Since its inception in 2011, the programme boasts a completion rate of 86%, with 90% of apprentices remaining in the profession, transforming workforce diversity in an industry historically resistant to non-HE-qualified entrants.
- Dishoom: The popular restaurant chain launched its ‘Welcome Walla’ onboarding programme to tackle recruitment and retention challenges post-pandemic and Brexit. This innovative blended learning approach reduced new starter attrition from 50% to 10%, increased guest satisfaction ratings from 82% to 96%, and achieved a 16% rise in weekly covers.
The Impact of Training Programmes
According to a recent Princess Royal Training Awards Alumni Survey:
- 93% of organisations reported improved employee engagement and wellbeing.
- 91% saw increased ability to demonstrate the value of skills to social outcomes.
- 84% expressed greater confidence in their organisation’s culture and training approach.
A Decade of Excellence Ahead
Kirstie Donnelly MBE, Chief Executive of City & Guilds, commented:
“The Princess Royal Training Awards continue to recognise the strengths of skills training and the value these skills are providing for employers in the UK and Ireland. With revalidation figures growing and new applicants achieving the Award standard, the Princess Royal Training Awards are fast becoming the gold standard for learning and development. To have 52 recipients this year is truly impressive, and as we enter the 10th year, we look forward to celebrating even more organisations delivering exceptional training programmes.”
The Princess Royal Training Awards continue to inspire organisations across the UK and Ireland, celebrating excellence in learning and development that shapes a skilled and motivated workforce.