Seddon Property Services has taken the prestigious Learning and Development category in the Midlands Excellence Awards – organised by Investors In Excellence.

The national contractor was awarded for its wide-ranging provision of training and staff development across the entire company.

Each year, Seddon Property Services invests an industry-leading £1.5 million to deliver a fully qualified workforce for the future and Midlands Excellence judges gave the Learning and Development award on the basis of its complete training programme.

This includes a dedicated in-house apprenticeship programme, that year-on-year employs more than 30 people, working through from an NVQ Level 1 to Level 3.

Seddon Property Services also operates an in-house training facility, the ‘Centre of Excellence’, based in Stoke-on-Trent. The £ 1 million development, opened in 2007, recently became an Accredited Approved Assessment Centre, able to deliver NVQ qualifications.

Their policy of collaborative working with clients, such as housing associations – which involves training young people who reside within their communities - also helped Seddon Properties Services secure the award.

Finally, the company’s ‘training for all’ policy, which involves putting all of its workers through an NVQ Level 2, was recognised by the judges. A considerable investment, this will result in staff all having the same training base – regardless of age. The first workers to achieve the qualification included a 60-year-old and workers in their 50s.

A spokesperson from Investors In Excellence said: “An award from Midlands Excellence represents an independent seal of approval from the region’s recognised performance experts.

“The Learning and Development Category Award rewards a company that champions learning and development, so that people achieve more of their potential and improve results.”

Donna McMullon oversaw the company’s successful achievement of Investors In Excellence, secured in 2009. She said: “We are extremely proud of this accolade, which was measured on our commitment, results and success in staff development.

“The standard complements and adds value to our current programmes such as Investors in People, and the quality and environmental standards ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, which we already hold.”

Seddon Property Services has 27 offices across England, Scotland and Wales - all supported by the company’s head office in Stoke-on-Trent. Further expansion is planned for 2010 with the opening of offices in Scotland, Manchester and the South West.