Applications for the 2017 APSCo Awards for Excellence which this year are sponsored by NatWest and 6CATS International, are now open. The annual awards which celebrate outstanding achievements in the professional recruitment sector are free to enter and open to all APSCo members.

As always, the awards will be judged by a prestigious panel of leading experts from the professional recruitment sector and affiliated fields. This year’s line-up includes; Steve Solomon, Natwest Chairman - Heather Melville, Natwest - Lisa Gee, writer – Simon Feeke, EY – Sohail Ahmad, Deloitte – Tracey Barrett, BlueSky PR – Jonathan Rouse, NatWest – David Head, Recruitment International –John Rose, recruitment consultancy non-exec – Fergal Parkinson, Premier Media – Rob Clowes, NatWest – Mervyn Dinnen, private consultant, Graham Palfery-Smith, 6CATS International and Simon Kite, Saffery Champness.

A new category, Best Client Initiative of the Year, has been added to the extensive list of awards for 2017 for those who can demonstrate an outstanding or innovative venture that has made a significant difference to a client, goes above and beyond what is normally expected of a recruitment partner and has changed the way the client views the supplier relationship.

Awards will be presented to the winners at the APSCo Awards for Excellence Lunch on the 18th of October 2017. Guest speaker on the afternoon will be Peter Cheese, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), who will deliver a keynote speech on issues including skills shortages, retention, identifying and maximising untapped pools and the value of a trusted recruitment partner.

Commenting on the awards, Ann Swain, APSCo Chief Executive said;

“Our Awards have been running since 1999 and are now firmly recognised as the most prestigious accolade in professional recruitment, celebrating outstanding achievements in the recruitment arena and are a unique indicator of professional standards throughout the sector. The annual event has become the premier showcase for innovation and best practice in professional recruitment, and are a great opportunity for firms to attract publicity and build their brand across the sector. We are encouraging all of our members to enter, not only as a demonstration of their achievements but also their ongoing commitment to the professional standards that APSCo membership represents.”