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Huw Griffiths wins Freelance Trainer of the Year

Learning NewsBray Leino Learning

Huw Griffiths was chosen as Freelance Trainer of the Year at the Institute of IT Training’s awards dinner last Thursday. The title is bestowed on the individual who has shown exceptional skills in managing an IT training project and has made a significant and demonstrable impact on the performance of their client. The award is sponsored by BroadSkill, the UK's largest supplier of freelance IT trainers.

In selecting the winner, the judges commented: “Huw has an extremely large breadth of experience and is a role model for all trainers today. He is a well-rounded trainer having undertaken roles across a range of responsibilities, including training delivery, training project management, client liaison and team leadership. We were particularly impressed with his championing the need to ensure that learning is marketed correctly in the company.”

This is the inaugural year for the award which was put in place to recognise excellence amongst the growing ranks of freelance trainers. A shift away from permanent employment has occurred over the last four years and freelance trainers are now estimated to make up 65% of the workforce, according to BroadSkill.

In addition to Huw winning Gold, a Silver award was presented to Doune Sinclair. Also shortlisted were Ravinder Basra, Doug Fisher and Kevin Tarry.

Huw Griffiths said: “I’m really grateful to have been nominated by Aon and to receive this award from the Institute. From a professional point of view it provides confirmation of the work I’ve done and it’s very nice to have been recognised by the industry in this way. I think it’s very good that there’s this new freelancer category because some of the work we do can put very different demands on you compared to other training roles. My thanks to BroadSkill for sponsoring it.”

Stephen Fletcher, Managing Director at BroadSkill, said: “I send my heartiest congratulations to Huw for this well-deserved award. Being a freelance trainer is sometimes a lonely job and too often the excellent work performed by the vast majority of instructors goes unrecognised. To continue in self-employment you have to be good and I’m pleased that we’ve been able to be involved in raising the profile of at least some of them.”