The IEP are proud to have been selected as finalists at the prestigious Association Excellence Awards (AEA) 2024, for the third year running in four categories – Best International Association, Best UK Association, Best Development of an Existing Event (for IEP Basecamp), and Best Learning and Professional Development Programme.
This year is particularly special as it marks the first time we have been recognised in the category of Best International Association. This nomination highlights our significant achievements over the past 12 months such as advancing the aims of the employability sector, delivering significant value to our members, and building our international reputation.
Since establishing IEP Australia, we have made real strides in several key areas including:
• New Collaborations and Partnerships: We have strengthened relationships with existing partners and established new collaborations with many stakeholders, and built developing relationships with great partners across Australia.
• Government Engagement: We have supported the Select Committee on Workforce Australia Employment Services, participated in the National Employment Services Association (NESA) annual conference, and engaged with the Disability Services Australia (DEA) CEO forum. In partnership with DEA we provided recommendations to the Australian government regarding disability employment services and the universal value of employability practice. We have also provided insights, through paper submissions, to the Royal Commission and have been regularly consulted, along with our partners, on the establishment of a Centre for Disability Employment Excellence.
• Accredited Learning: Through IEP Membership, we’re enabling almost 3,000 Australian practitioners to access our learning programs and enhance their professional practice.
• Quality Improvement Framework (QIF): We are piloting the QIF in Australia, which is designed to foster ongoing excellence within the sector and drive a culture of progress and positive change.
• Membership Growth: The expansion of our services into Australia has contributed to significant membership growth, with almost 3,000 Australian practitioners gaining access to professional development programs and support from their professional institute.
“The IEP is the only membership organisation of its type in the world aimed at lifting the professional standing of all practitioners working in the sector and currently has a growing worldwide membership of around 12,000,” said Ross McLatchie FIEP, IEP Senior Advisor of Growth in Australia.
“I’m excited about introducing and piloting the new QIF in the Australian market so providers can clearly identify, measure, and demonstrate areas of excellent practice as well as areas where they can improve practice.”
Over the past year, the IEP has made remarkable advancements in the employability sector, delivering significant value to our members, and promoting international collaboration. Notable successes include the development of IEP Sweden and IEP Australia, the launch of our global Centre for Employability Excellence (CfEE), and the pilots of our Quality Improvement Framework (QIF) in Australia, Sweden, and Canada. Our commitment to professional excellence, proactive leadership, and fostering a vibrant community of practitioners has set new standards for the global employability sector.
“The IEP has created a movement with like-minded people, a network of employability professionals who meet and learn. This transcends the regular norms for all of us in our day to day work, it is beyond the regular competitive attitude that can too often exist in our sector,” said Emma Crichton FIEP, previously Executive Director of Growth and Innovation at Asuria, and now CEO APAC at AutogenAI.
“What the IEP have created is special because it is about impact. And now, the IEP is connecting more employability professionals across the globe, a global community where people get to connect with others just like them stiving to achieve best practice for the jobseekers we meet and serve each and every day.”
The complete list of finalists is available on the AEA24 event website here.
The Awards Ceremony will take place on Friday, 3rd November at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. This is where the winners of each category will be announced, and we are excited to participate in this event and hopefully build on our success from last year, where we won the Silver Award for Best Learning / Professional Development Programme.
The awards honour, salute, celebrate, and encourage the vital work that associations, trade bodies, professional organisations, institutes and chartered institutes do for and on behalf of their members to ensure their voices are heard and their causes are championed. Attended by over 350 association executives each year, the Association Excellence Awards are a trusted and reputable fixture in the calendar.
We are incredibly proud of our achievement in being shortlisted in these four categories and would like to thank everyone who has contributed to our success. We are determined to continue providing excellent services to our Members and Partners and look forward to updating you with hopefully some more good news after the ceremony in November.
