The winners of the 2024 WorldSkills UK EDI Heroes Awards have been unveiled in a prestigious ceremony held at the Houses of Parliament.
For the first time since the awards began in 2019, an award ceremony was held in person, and it was a fantastic opportunity for finalists and guests to come together in person to celebrate.
Charlotte Nichols, the MP for Warrington North:
“Congratulations to this year’s winners of the WorldSkills UK EDI Heroes Awards! It was fantastic to support these awards and come together to celebrate the finalists and winners for the first time at the Houses of Parliament.”
The awards recognise the extraordinary accomplishments of individuals and organisations who champion diversity and inclusion in the technical education sector.
Ben Blackledge, CEO, WorldSkills UK said:
“Congratulations to all the winners of this year’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Heroes awards.
Your achievements in driving change to ensure all the young people you work with have the opportunity to succeed through apprenticeships and technical education is truly inspiring.
At WorldSkills UK, we are proud to provide a platform for celebrating those making a significant difference. By working together, we can advocate for real change across the sector, creating inclusive opportunities that give all young people the chance for success in work and life.”
Scott Forbes, Deputy Chief Executive, Skills and Education Group said:
“We would like to congratulate all the winners and finalists of these awards. The Skills and Education Group were extremely proud to be a sponsor. We are passionate about creating the best possible opportunities for all, and increased awareness around the issues of diversity and inclusion are vital to that.”
Thank you to our main sponsors, Skills and Education Group, and the University Vocational Awards Council, along with our individual award sponsors. The support from our partners is a testament to our shared recognition of the importance and value of celebrating positive change for young individuals, organisations, and communities across the UK.
The winners are:
| Award | Winner | Award Sponsor |
| Rising Star | Haris Javed – Lloyds Banking Group | Skills & Education Group |
| Role Model | Andrew Smith – The Open University (OU) | Education & Training Foundation |
| Inclusive Skills Development | Louise Gaskin – NESCOT | FE Week |
| Skills Competition Diversity Champion | David Jones – Pembrokeshire College | Onefile |
| Network of the Year | HSBC | Air Products |
| Skills Competition Advocate | North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College | abpi |
| Initiative of the Year | STEM Learning | UVAC |
| Pioneer | Arvind Kaushal – MK Group | Aim |
Keep an eye out for the winners’ videos over the next few weeks as we share them on our social media platforms.
