Nine winners honoured as EDA Investor in Training Awards celebrates 11th birthday
Posted by: electime 14th March 2025
The 2025 EDA Investor in Training Awards marked a milestone 11th year of recognising outstanding commitment to workforce development in the UK’s electrical wholesale and manufacturing sector. This year’s nine winners received their trophies in front of 570 guests at the Annual Awards Dinner on Thursday 6 March 2025 in London’s Park Lane. The winners are hand-picked from thousands of managers in EDA wholesaler and manufacturer businesses across the UK for their impressive commitment to developing their teams using the Association’s industry-leading modules and apprenticeship programme.
The trophies were presented by the evening’s special guest, TV’s Countdown host and radio presenter, Colin Murray.
The Awards were sponsored by EDA Apprenticeships Plus, the partner provider for the EDA Apprenticeship Service for Wholesalers.
Association President, David Moore of Medlock Electrical Distributors, said: “Congratulations to our award-winning managers as they receive their EDA Investor in Training Awards. Their success is evidence of a sector that invests in the professional development of its people, and that’s a strong message that will help us attract the next generation of talent.”
Margaret Fitzsimons, CEO at the EDA, added “Since launch in 2015, the EDA’s Investor in Training Awards have demonstrated this sector’s commitment to fostering talent and driving professional growth.
“Shaping careers and driving business performance is at the heart of the training service the EDA offers to Members and Affiliates. We are constantly reviewing and improving that service too: over the last 3 years, 84 per cent more branches are using the modules to upskill their people. The flexibility of the e-learning option is proving successful with 77 per cent choosing to study online via The EDA Academy over the original printed textbooks. Demand for apprentices remains healthy.”
The 2025 winners are:
- Rob McKenzie, BED (Kettering) Ltd, ANEW buying group
- Peter Jenkins, Swanson Mackay & Co. Ltd, AWEBB buying group
- Phil O’Nions, CEF Ltd
- Darren Coppola, Scott Coppola, part of Edmundson Electrical Ltd
- Liane Packer, Templegate Electrical Supplies Ltd, Fegime UK buying group (Liane’s award was collected by Alan Reynolds, CEO, Fegime UK)
- Ben Young, Rexel UK Ltd
- Ian Day, Stearn Electric Co Ltd
- Oliver Nicholas, Lightsave Ltd
- Paul Gordon, Olympic Fixings, Affiliate Manufacturer (Paul’s award was collected on his behalf by Tracy Hewett)
