Award Categories
Finalists have now been announced for each category and are listed below the relevant category heading. Good luck everyone!
INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION AWARD (1 to 249 employees)
For small to medium sized businesses that have invested sustainably in inspiring the next generation.
Finalists
MMES (Mike Morgan Electrical Services)
Award Criteria -
Purpose: Please outline why your business invests in reaching young people and how this supports your business plans.
Partnership: Please detail how your business has engaged over the last year e.g. which establishments you have worked with,
what activities you have delivered, how many young people you have reached.
Impact: Please outline the benefits this has delivered to your business and / or the young people.
INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION AWARD (250+ employees) 
For a company that has effectively inspired young people about future career opportunities.
Finalists
Category Sponsor - Screwfix
Screwfix is proud to sponsor the Inspiring the Next Generation (250+ employees) award as part of our commitment to being a business we can all be proud of. As a growing organisation with strong community roots, we believe large employers play a vital role in creating meaningful opportunities for future talent.
This award closely aligns with our focus on skills development, early careers and investing in people to build confidence and long‑term careers. By sponsoring this category, we want to recognise organisations that inspire, support and open doors for the next generation, while championing inclusion and nurturing potential across Somerset.
Award Criteria -
Purpose: Please outline why your business invests in reaching young people and how this supports your business plans.
Partnership: Please detail how your business has engaged over the last year e.g. which establishments you have worked with, what activities you have delivered, how many young people you have reached.
Impact: Please outline the benefits this has delivered to your business and / or the young people.
BEST CAREERS FOCUSED PRIMARY SCHOOL
For the Primary School that has delivered high quality inspiration, information and guidance for learners.
Finalists
Manor Court Community Primary School
Category Sponsor - MYPATH
We're on a mission to change the face of careers education.
MYPATH, set up by Jamie Pywell (ex Careers Leader), is built to challenge the perception of careers education. For a long time careers education has been seen as simply an additional responsibility for schools and hasn't been given the limelight it deserves. We strive to make careers education fun, engaging and highly impactful, all whilst reducing the workload of careers professionals and educators.
MYPATH currently supports around one third of all secondary schools in the UK.
Award Criteria -
Programme: Please detail the key elements of your careers programme, how these are embedded and how the programme meets student need.
Partnership: Please detail the internal and external partners you have worked with to deliver this programme.
Impact: Please show evidence of how this has benefitted students throughout the school.
BEST CAREERS FOCUSED SECONDARY SCHOOL
For the Secondary School that has delivered high quality inspiration, information and guidance for learners.
Finalists
Award Criteria -
Programme: Please detail the key elements of your careers programme, how these are embedded and how the programme meets student need.
Partnership: Please detail the internal and external partners you have worked with to deliver this programme.
Impact: Please show evidence of how this has benefitted students throughout the school.
YOUNG PERSON OF THE YEAR
For young people who have independently taken proactive steps to preparing for the workplace.
Finalists
Hayley
Emmie
Leona
Award Criteria -
Attitude: Please outline how the student has demonstrated their interest in preparing for their next step.
Action and achievements: Please detail the specific steps the student has taken to preparing for the next steps and any related achievement.
Next steps: Please outline how the student plans to take their next steps or future career.
IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES: SUPPORTED EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR (1).jpg)
For a supported intern who has made a great contribution to their employer.
Finalists
Cheyenne
Faith
Bradley
Harrison
Category Sponsor - Young Somerset
At Young Somerset, our mission is to empower young people to thrive - personally, socially, and professionally. We believe that supported employment programmes not only bridge the gap between education and the workplace but also create life‑changing opportunities for those with additional needs. These programmes help build confidence, develop real workplace skills, and support meaningful steps toward future careers.
We’ve seen first‑hand the incredible talent that can emerge through supported employment. Through these awards, and our sponsorship of the Supported Employee of the Year category, we’re excited to celebrate the supported employees who have truly shone in their placements.
Award Criteria -
Commitment: Please outline how your intern demonstrated their commitment to the placement.
Achievements: Please detail your intern’s key achievements during the placement.
Next steps: Please detail how your intern plans to progress following their internship
IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES: SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR
For the employer who has provided a high-quality supported internship.
Finalists
Category Sponsor - Imagine the Possibilities
Sponsoring this award is our way of celebrating the organisations that lead with compassion, innovation and a commitment to equity. These employers don't just offer supported employment opportunities - they open doors to opportunity, dignity and belonging.
Award Criteria -
Preparation: Please outline how your business prepared to deliver its Supported Internship programme.
Delivery: Please outline how your business delivered the programme and supported the interns.
Impact: Please outline how the placement benefited the individuals and the business.
Next steps: Please detail your future plans in relation to supported employment.
BEST NEWCOMER AWARD FOR CAREERS OUTREACH
For an organisation or individual that has recently established career learning opportunities or work connections for young people in Somerset.
Finalists
Award Criteria -
Programme: Please detail the key elements of the career learning opportunities or work connections and how these meet student need.
Partnership: Please detail the internal and external partners you have worked with to deliver these programmes.
Impact: Please outline the benefits this has delivered to your business and / or the young people.
JUSTIN COLLIS AWARD FOR ENTERPRISE ADVISER OF THE YEAR
For the Enterprise Adviser who has supported education leaders to develop their careers provision.
The Justin Collis Enterprise Adviser the year award is named in Justin’s honour after he sadly passed away in November 2024. Justin was the perfect example of what an Enterprise Adviser should be; always happy to support not just his schools but the wider network. He didn’t focus on the barriers, he focused on what we could do differently.
This award will go to the Enterprise Adviser who embodied Justin’s spirt for volunteering their time to ensure that the young people of Somerset were afforded opportunities to develop their career readiness and be as prepared for their next steps as possible.
Finalists
Martin Symons, Heidelberg Materials
Heather Rybaruk, Click the Button
Award Criteria -
Purpose: Please outline how this person has demonstrated the key elements of supporting and developing the careers provision with their partner school.
Partnership: Please detail the internal and external partners they have worked with to deliver this programme.
Impact: Please outline the benefits this has delivered the school and / or the young people.
CAREERS LEADER OF THE YEAR
For the careers leader who has facilitated high quality inspiration, information and guidance for learners.
Finalists
Gayle Pogson, Yeovil College
Lara Bowden, Futures - Selworthy School
Nina Sinclair, The King Alfred School Academy
Award Criteria -
Programme: Please detail the key elements of your careers programme and how this meets student need.
Partnership: Please detail the internal and external partners you have worked with to deliver this programme.
Impact: Please show evidence of how this has benefitted students throughout the school.
OUTSTANDING PERSONAL CONTRIBUTION
For an individual that has contributed significantly to developing the next generation in Somerset over a sustained period.
Finalists
Julie Walker, Fiveways School
Jonathan Taylor, Branston
Richard Lucas, Somerset Council
Award Criteria -
Service: Please outline how this person has inspired or supported young people over several years.
Impact: Please outline how this person has made a lasting positive impact on those they have supported.
Commitment: Please outline how this person has gone beyond the requirements of their job role to inspire and support young people.