New Outstanding Provider of Diploma in C&BE Award

What are the Rewarding Diplomas awards?

The Rewarding Diplomas Awards have been set up to celebrate outstanding achievement in the Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment (C&BE). They acknowledge the efforts and successes of students and providers and aim to encourage and drive high standards in the qualification.

The Diploma in C&BE has been around for more than three years and, during that time, has shaped and enhanced the opportunities and lives of those who have studied it. The skills that young people acquire through the Diploma – practical and theoretical – mean that the industry’s ‘workforce of tomorrow’ is in very good shape.

What is the Outstanding Provider award for?

The Outstanding Provider category of the Rewarding Diplomas Awards is to recognise the excellent work by schools, colleges and consortia across England in making the Diploma in C&BE such a success.

Who can enter?

The awards are open to any school, college or consortia that currently offers the Diploma in C&BE to its local community.

Who makes the nominations?

Rather than coming from the schools or colleges themselves, we’d like nominations to come from independent third parties. This could be an employer, a professional body, a trade association, a Sector Skills Body, a Sector Skills Council, a university or an Awarding Body. We also welcome nominations from parents or students who have studied the Diploma. If you know of a school, college or consortia doing outstanding work to deliver the Diploma in C&BE, we want to hear from you.

What constitutes outstanding or excellent work by a Diploma in C&BE provider?

There are so many different ways that schools, colleges and consortia excel in their delivery of the Diploma in C&BE.

Specifically, we’ll be looking at areas such as organisation, timetabling, innovation, collaboration with businesses and notable achievements by students, teachers, staff members and teams. But, on any level, if you think a school, college or consortia is doing great work, and that effort should be acknowledged, we want to hear from you.

How do I make a nomination?

In the first instance, all you need to do is send an email to rewardingdiplomas@cskills.org containing the name of the school, college or consortia that you’re nominating, along with your contact details.

Once we’ve had all nominations in one of our team will be in touch to find out more.

How will the winners be decided on?

Each eligible nomination will be scored against a number of different criteria – with an evidence-based mark out of ten given for a number of different areas. Each score will be audited by an independent member of the CITB-ConstructionSkills team, and the top-scoring schools, colleges or consortia will win the awards.

How many awards will there be?

There will be one overall winner, and several regional champions.

What dates do I need to be aware of?

Nominations can be made up until midnight on 16 December 2011.

Judging will take place early next year, and winners will be announced on the 2 February 2012.

Is it just providers of the Diploma in C&BE that are being honoured?

No. In September 2011, as part of the Rewarding Diplomas Awards, three Diploma in C&BE students were honoured for their academic achievement. A generous gift of £1,000 from the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) was split across the highest performers at levels 1, 2 and 3.

Who is behind these awards?

The Rewarding Diplomas Awards are organised by the Diploma in C&BE Partnership, which is made up of representatives from Sector Skills Councils, Sector Skills Bodies, Industry Training Boards, Awarding Bodies, schools, colleges, professional bodies, trade associations and representatives from the higher education and further education communities.