Hugh Baird College and one of its apprentices have been shortlisted at the prestigious Liverpool Chamber Innovation in Business Awards 2025, marking a double success for the education provider.
The College has been shortlisted for the Innovation in Skills and Talent Award, while apprentice Lewis Edward Jones has earned individual recognition with his shortlisting for the Rising Star Award.
The nominations follow a period of exceptional performance for the College, which received an Ofsted Outstanding rating earlier this year, an accolade held by only three colleges in the North West, placing it among the top 10% of colleges nationally. The College has also been named the No. 1 Further Education College in the country for Tech Level 3 Progress and reported a 100% pass rate across many of its vocational subjects, underlining its continued commitment to high-quality education and learner achievement.
The Innovation in Skills and Talent Award recognises organisations demonstrating innovative approaches to talent development, inclusive workforce strategies, and future-ready skills planning. The award criteria include fresh training methods, diversity and accessibility initiatives, employee empowerment programmes, and measurable outcomes in workforce development.
Lewis Edward Jones, a Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust apprentice training with Hugh Baird College, has been shortlisted for the Rising Star Award in recognition of his exceptional transformation and dedication to healthcare. After over 25 years out of education, Lewis retrained as a mental health nurse, quickly excelling in both academic and clinical settings. The award criteria focus on individuals showing significant skills growth during their educational journey, workplace readiness, and positive influence among peers.
The awards ceremony will take place on 23 October 2025 at Liverpool’s iconic St George’s Hall, bringing together over 400 business leaders during Liverpool Chamber’s 175th anniversary year.
Paul Cherpeau, Chief Executive of Liverpool Chamber, commented:
“The breadth of sectors represented in this year’s shortlist – from digital technology and sustainability, to professional services and engineering – reflects the many strengths within the city region economy, each powered by a spirit of innovation and positive change.”
More than 180 nominations were received across 12 categories for this year’s awards, with sponsors including Lexus Liverpool as the headline sponsor and RTC North sponsoring the Rising Star Award.