Something we can all be proud of

Apr 9 2009 By The Journal

Chris Roberts bids the CoLaS Awards a fond farewell as he looks back at what has made the prestigious event so special.

AS THE lights dimmed at The Sage Gateshead on Friday, 3 April for the Celebration of Learning and Skills (CoLaS) Awards 2009, there was a sense of anticipation and excitement in the air.

Hosts were ready to greet the audience of over 1,200 prominent guests; audition winners were psyching themselves up to "give it their all" in the name of entertainment; award sponsors were proud to be supporting something so special and award finalists were shuffling nervously in their seats, wondering who would be crowned winners of the CoLaS Awards 2009.

For me, it was a moment to reflect on what the CoLaS Awards are all about. The awards sum up the North East as a whole – a great place to live and a great place to work. With that, come great people, great businesses and a great sense of achievement.

Unfortunately, as with most awards, there can only be one winner in each category. And it seems that, as word has spread over the years, more and more people wanted to have a slice of the CoLaS success. In particular, the standard of entries this year was incredibly high, making the judges’ decisions difficult.

We understand how it must be disappointing for those people who didn’t make the final cut, or who didn’t go home clutching a trophy. Yet that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate their success. In fact, there are thousands of people in our region who have gone the extra mile to achieve learning and development goals.

Whether you are an apprentice who has worked to kick-start your career; an adult who has recognised the value of learning in getting a job and increasing your confidence; someone who has overcome personal obstacles to achieve success; an employer that has pushed the boat out to increase the skills of your workforce or a training provider that has worked tirelessly to help people achieve – in our eyes, you are all winners.

Of course, with such a spectacular awards event there is a lot of preparation that goes on behind the scenes. Once again, our CoLaS team did a phenomenal job of organising and staging the event of the year. It goes without saying that they should be congratulated on their extremely professional approach. The Sage Gateshead should also be praised for providing us with the perfect backdrop for our red carpet extravaganza.

Since the idea of the CoLaS was first put together over four years ago, it has gathered momentum, grown in scale and generated more and more interest along the way. And, as the LSC draws to a close in 2010, we know that the CoLaS 2009 event was the very last one that we will ever stage.

Yet, beyond the realms of the CoLaS Awards and the work of the LSC, we know that the legacy of investments in learning and skills will continue to thrive. Featured in this supplement are the people and organisations that were named as the very worthy winners of our CoLaS 2009 Awards. Please share in their success, be proud of their achievements, and let them be an inspiration to us all.

Chris Roberts is regional director, Learning and Skills Council (LSC) North East.