The shortlist for the second TES FE Awards is announced today, with hundreds of entries across the 12 categories whittled down to just six finalists in each.

Along with a lifetime achievement award to be announced on the night, the winners will be named at a ceremony on 15 November. This year, it will be part of the Skills Show, the biggest event in FE and skills, which will also feature the finals of UK-wide competitions to find the young superstars of vocational skills.

Previous winners say the awards transformed the perception of their college or training provider and sent staff morale soaring. “It is difficult to explain how much this means to us,” said Ken Warman, principal of BSix Brooke House Sixth Form College in East London, which last year was named outstanding provider of the year. “It is the biggest tribute to the dedication and skill of our students and staff we could receive.”

Gerard Kelly, editor of TES, said: “In a year in which FE has come under scrutiny for the quality of teaching, it was striking to see that the most hotly contested category was for outstanding innovation in teaching, training or learning provision. These awards are proof of the FE sector’s constant desire to improve and its commitment to innovation.”

At Birmingham Metropolitan College, last year’s winner in this category, staff said the award had inspired greater collaboration across the college. “Winning the award just raised morale beyond expectations,” said director Jeanette Prole.

Rob Wye, chief executive of the Learning and Skills Improvement Service, said: “Once again the TES FE Awards are being presented in association with LSIS - something of which we are very proud. The high quality of entries this year is testament to the advances being made across the FE and skills sector.”

The shortlist

Outstanding provider of the year

• Harlow College.
• Mid-Cheshire College.
• Kilmarnock College.
• Bridgend College.
• Exeter College.
• John Ruskin College, Croydon.

• Outstanding leadership in learning and skills

  • Mid-Cheshire College.
  • Peterborough Regional College.
  • Riverside College Halton, Cheshire.
  • Exeter College.
  • Uxbridge College.
  • New College Pontefract.

  • Outstanding entrepreneurship in learning and skills

    • Barnfield Federation.
    • Oxford and Cherwell Valley College.
    • Aberdeen College.
    • Bishop Auckland College.
    • Barking and Dagenham College.
    • Birmingham Metropolitan College.

    • Outstanding innovation in teaching, training or learning provision

      • Coleg Gwent.
      • City of Westminster College.
      • Yale College, Wrexham.
      • BSix Brooke House Sixth Form College, East London.
      • Harlow College.
      • West Cheshire College.

      • Outstanding employer engagement

        • Blackpool and The Fylde College.
        • Petroc.
        • Canterbury College.
        • HMP Hewell, Worcestershire.
        • Reaseheath College, Cheshire.
        • Charnwood Training Group, Nottinghamshire.

        • Outstanding e-learning team

          • Petroc.
          • Buttercups Training, Nottingham.
          • Southampton City College.
          • Hereford Sixth Form College.
          • Barking and Dagenham College.
          • Pembrokeshire College.

          • Outstanding human resources team

            • City of Bristol College.
            • New College Swindon.
            • Lakes College West Cumbria.
            • Moulton College.
            • Bridgend College.
            • Pembrokeshire College.

            • Outstanding practice in sustainability

              • Leicester College.
              • South Staffordshire College.
              • Harrow College.
              • Peterborough Regional College.
              • Lakes College West Cumbria.
              • Bedford College.

              • Outstanding contribution to the local community

                • Worker’s Educational Association, Open Door Group.
                • Blue Cat Initiative.
                • Canterbury College, Armed Forces Community Covenant.
                • HMP Hewell, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.
                • Hackney Community College.
                • North East Surrey College of Technology.

                • Outstanding marketingcommunications team

                  • Deeside College.
                  • Blackpool and The Fylde College.
                  • Bournville College.
                  • Uxbridge College.
                  • South Eastern Regional College.
                  • New College Pontefract.

                  • Outstanding estates team

                    • Northampton College.
                    • North West Regional College.
                    • Dudley College.
                    • Belfast Metropolitan College.
                    • Lincoln College.
                    • Coleg Gwent.

                    • Outstanding finance team

                      • Peterborough Regional College.
                      • Yale College.
                      • City College Plymouth.
                      • Blackpool and the Fylde College.
                      • Coleg Gwent.
                      • Lincoln College.