The Ambassador network seeks to promote the National Training Awards on behalf of UK Skills. The Ambassador network programme is also one of the ways for NTA to continue to offer support to past winners. The Ambassador network endeavours to continuously promote stories of excellence in training and find ways to ensure that the experiences of finalists can continue to inspire across a wide range of people and organisations.
All winners and regional finalists are automatically included in the NTA Ambassador network and will be entitled to the support we offer to our ambassadors nationwide. This will include events specifically designed for ambassadors as well as invites to NTA-run or supported events offering the chance to network with other ambassadors, key partners in the training and development world, business contacts and other finalists. Furthermore, ambassadors will be given the chance to be selected to be featured in PR campaigns, national and regional case studies, as well as be invited to speak at info sessions and other events. Ambassadors can be selected to serve as regional and national judges for the National Training Awards too. UK Skills provides marketing materials and regular updates to ambassadors on NTA-specific developments as well as selected aspects of the training, development and business world in general deemed to be of interest. Through the Ambassador network programme, UK Skills also often works closely with ambassadors on a range of case-by-case promotional activities prompted by ambassador needs and interests.
Ambassadors play a valuable role in promoting the National Training Awards by identifying suitable entrants, encouraging organisations and individuals to enter the Awards and raising the profile of the Awards through their network of contacts. Ambassadors are critical in disseminating winning NTA stories that serve both as an inspiration as well as providing practical tips on achieving excellence in training. Some of the more common things that NTA ambassadors do to promote NTA include:
- Letting us know about organisations in their region/sector that are achieving outstanding results through training and development, telling them about the NTA and encouraging them to enter. Entrants can also be nominated online.
- Promoting the NTA within their own organisation and further, as part of another meeting, exhibition, conference or event they are involved with.
- Promoting the NTA through existing networks, e-zines and newsletters.
- Putting a link to the NTA website on their sites and/or writing an article for the company magazine/ publicity/newsletter.
- Telling us about contacts so we can send them information about the NTA, and we also send materials for ambassadors to distribute.
- Providing us with a venue for an information session - we can promote, organise and present it on the ambassador´s behalf.
- Providing us with any information that might be of use to promote NTA such as opportunities to purchase stands at conferences, speaking platforms, introductions or contacts at appropriate organisations, good magazines or publications to send articles to, etc.
- Using NTA-provided marketing materials and advice on presentations, as well as featuring the NTA Ambassador logo and links to the NTA website on the ambassador´s own communication materials.
Membership to the NTA ambassador network is not limited to past finalists and winners, but can also be NTA judges, representatives of partner organisations, and other key stakeholders in the training, development and business world. If you are passionate about training & development in general, and enthusiastic about the National Training Awards in particular, you can apply to be an NTA ambassador. If you would like to discuss opportunities for cross-promotion, please do get in touch.
For any queries on the Ambassador network or further information on how to become an NTA Ambassador please contact Mayang Syed Ahmad on 020 7612 9264 or email NTAambassadors@ukskills.org.uk
Pictured:
Fay Blackwood
Head of Training and Development
Company:
Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust, London
"To win a National Training Award is a fantastic achievement that we are extremely proud of. It is an external validation and recognition of work done within the organisation, giving all involved a real sense of pride and additional motivation."