"NWSA has achieved a great deal over the past five years and its brilliant to see more and more firms and employees benefitting from the services we provide. "
Samuel Riley
Samuel Riley, 30, of the North West Skills Academy (NWSA), collected the Young Entrepreneur of the Year accolade at the E3 Business Awards.
North West-based NWSA provides training and assessment services to the construction industry, responding to the needs of employers, Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) priorities and working to support sustainable employment.
Samuel incorporated the company in 2013 and now has 27 employees.
The company offers a vast range of NVQ qualifications and apprenticeships for trade areas such as plastering, bricklaying, dry lining, passive fire protection and more.
In the last 14 months, NWSA has become the largest provider of European Social Fund (ESF) funding across the Lancashire region, training over 1,000 local people leading them to gain Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) cards.
The success across Lancashire has led NWSA to open new premises in Preston and further strengthen its position as the region’s top training provider for the construction industry. The brand-new training facility has already seen 100 new trainees through its doors since it opened in June 2018.
The E3 Business Awards were launched in 2013 to recognise and reward business excellence in the North West, highlighting organisations that have shown a real investment in Enterprise, Education and Employment (E3).
Samuel collected his award from Martyn Shaw, director of business development at the University of Bolton at a ceremony at the Macron Stadium attended by almost 500 delegates. Other accolades handed out on the night included the Customer Service Award, Business of the Year and Social Enterprise of the Year.
Samuel said: “It’s fantastic to be recognised in this category at the E3 Business Awards. Being a successful entrepreneur is about having the right mindset, determination and willingness to work hard and succeed. However, an entrepreneur’s dream is only realised when they are surrounded by great people, which I am. NWSA has achieved a great deal over the past five years and it’s brilliant to see more and more firms and employees benefitting from the services we provide.
“What sets us apart is that we respond to the actual needs of the construction industry by using our expertise to operate across various funding lines.”
Speaking on behalf of 1 Events Media, the host and organiser of the awards, managing director Mubarak Chati said: “The E3 Awards have always been about more than just commercial success; they celebrate the impact that enterprise has on lives and communities across the North West. Samuel is a fine example of that enterprising spirit and it's right that his commitment should be recognised.
“Competition this year was exceptionally fierce; so much so that we felt we had to increase the number of shortlisted candidates in several categories.”
More information about the E3 Business Awards, including a full list of winners, can be found at www.e3businessawards.co.uk.
Visit www.nwskillsacademy.co.uk for more information about the North West Skills Academy.
