Local businesses and employees shine at BEST Awards
Tuesday 03 March 2026
Local businesses and their employees were recognised at this year’s BEST Awards, hosted by the council’s Employability Bridgend team.
Bridgend Employer Support Training (BEST) has offered end-to-end support to help employers recruit, train and retain the right people. The programme, run by Employability Bridgend, was built around the real challenges faced by employers, providing solutions that simplify recruitment while strengthening the local workforce.
Businesses who signed up to the programme received six months of tailored, in-work mentoring for new employees, offering ongoing personalised support to aid onboarding, boost retention and support long-term development so employees were able to grow alongside the business. Since the project’s launch, 50 participants started in work with local employers, with 40 of the participants still in their roles today.
The awards ceremony took place on 18 February 2026 at Pen-y-bont Football Club and saw several businesses and staff members win awards to celebrate the success of the programme as it comes to a close at the end of March 2026. The Mayor of Bridgend County Borough, Councillor Huw David and, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Economic Development and Housing, Councillor Neelo Farr presented the awards.
The full list of winners include:
- BEST Training and Career Progression (two winners) – Marc Thomas and Adam Fitzgerald
- BEST Dedication – Robbie Ivin
- BEST Customer Service – Fareed Taladia
- BEST Rising Star – Zaine Cooke
- BEST Young Person – Cody Punter
- BEST Above and Beyond – Laura Skinner
- BEST Impact and Progression – Huw Llewellyn
- BEST Inspirational – Ellis Caparros
- BEST Most Improved – Katy Parkin
- BEST Innovation – Sheridan Tucker
- BEST Outstanding Achiever – Adran Robbins
- Workforce Training and Development – DLT Training
- Community Impact – Baobab Bach
- Outstanding Partner – The Steel Shop
"The support from Employability Bridgend has been great – I tell everyone about it. The teaching strategies offered by the team have been so helpful in the classroom. I couldn’t have managed without it – it was brilliant”.
“The BEST programme has assisted us greatly by helping us to find excellent staff with the right skill base. They have also supported with relevant training and mentoring, which has been invaluable.”
“The BEST programme run by Employability Bridgend is a testament to the strong support that we have for businesses and residents looking for employment. This awards ceremony was such a wonderful evening of recognition for the work the scheme has undertaken over the past year and highlighting how much of a positive impact it has had. By combining recruitment, training and mentoring into one flexible programme, BEST has created stronger employment outcomes for both employers and jobseekers across Bridgend County Borough.”
This project was funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.