Eight awards were presented including for those who achieved the highest marks on the lettings, sales and auction levels 2, 3 and 4 qualifications and those nominated for showing excellence or resilience in the categories Rising Star and Learner of the Year.
No fee was charged for award entries for the Propertymark Qualifications Awards, the event is purely about celebrating Propertymark Qualifications learners.
Alongside the Awards, learners who had achieved their qualification were invited to take their moment, centre stage. Propertymark Qualifications believe it is vital to give all those who have studied hard, this opportunity and it was fantastic that so many participants had been surprised with a ticket by their employer - a moment to stand on stage, shake hands with Phil Spencer and be applauded by their peers. The ceremony also recognised three independent assessors, Aidan Reed, Rita Tinney and Andrew Rowland, on achieving their level 3 in Assessing Vocational Achievement.
Employer of the Year Award
The event included an esteemed award for Employer of the Year, sponsored by Gallaghers.
The judges sought out a business which regardless of scale, was nominated by its employees and is a company that puts learning and development at the centre of the business. This differentiates an organisation which provides additional support to staff to study and achieve their potential, whatever the size or scale of the firm.
Finders Keepers achieved the Employer of the Year Award and Managing Director Paul Rushworth joined Natasha Barrow of Gallaghers on stage to receive the award. EW Estates and Miles and Barr were finalists.
Apprentice of the Year Award
Assessment for apprentices undertaking the Junior Estate Agent apprenticeship in England is a more recent addition to the Propertymark Qualifications stable but vital in terms of supporting entry to the profession and since introducing the Assessment service in 2020, over 300 apprentices have enrolled for End Point Assessment with Propertymark Qualifications.
Carys Reid who achieved Distinction in her end point assessment won the Apprentice of the Year 2022, awarded for the achievement of the Level 2 Junior Estate Agent Apprenticeship. Carys first started in estate agency whilst still at school, working in the office on Saturday mornings and after being given a four-week trial, joined full-time as an apprentice only 12 months before taking her End Point Assessment. The judges felt that the winner was an outstanding apprentice with knowledge and confidence at a level well beyond her years.
Sales Candidate of the Year Award
Over 400 people completed their level 2, or 3 award in residential sales or a level 3 award in the sale of commercial property, or their Scottish equivalents in 2021, making them eligible for this award.
Catherine Slater won Sales Candidate of the Year for achieving the highest overall marks across all four units of the Level 3 Award in Sale of Residential Property. The finalists were Jacob Littorin for Level 2 Award in Introduction to Sale of Residential Property and Vicky Mackay for Level 3 Award in The Sale of Residential Property.
Auctioneering Candidate of the Year Award
This Award highlights the success of those achieving the specialist qualifications at Level 3 in Real Property or Chattels Auctioneering.
Emma Price won for achieving the highest overall marks across all four units of Level 3 in Real Property Auctioneering, having sat all four exams on the same day, an extraordinary achievement. Congratulations to the finalists Karen Evans who studied Level 3 Award in Chattels Auctioneering and Puja Mehra who studied Level 3 Award in Real Property Auctioneering.
Lettings Candidate of the Year Award
During 2021 almost 1100 learners completed a level 2 or 3 Residential Lettings qualification and their Scottish and Northern Irish equivalents, or level 3 Tenancy Deposit Management or Inventory Management qualification.
Lettings Candidate of the Year was announced as Hannah Baldwick who achieved the highest overall marks across all four units of the Level 2 Award in Residential Letting and Property Management. Finalists in this category were Uzochi Ejimofor who studied the Level 3 Award in Residential Tenancy Deposit Protection and Management, Ieva Sataite who studied the Level 3 Award in Residential Letting and Property Management and Phoebe Wontner who studied the Level 2 Award in Introduction to Residential Property Management Practice.
Rising Star of the Year Award
Rising Star of the Year Award recognises learners making their mark in the property industry and new to working in a property business Judges were looking for candidates delivering tangible benefits to their employer and potential leaders of the future with a positive attitude to learning, study, and professional development.
Huge congratulations to Georgia Furmidge of David James Estate Agents in Nottingham. The finalists were Lydia Campey and Lynette Johnston.
Learner of the Year Award
The Awards Ceremony which lasted around an hour, built up to our highest accolade and presentation of Learner of the Year 2022. This Award highlights the dedication of learners who are applying their studies and qualifications in the workplace and benefitting in terms of their personal and professional development or overcoming specific challenges during their studies.
Rosie Croft was awarded Learner of the Year 2022 with Keeley Child and Gemma Dawe taking to the stage alongside her as finalists.
Those who make time and space in their lives to study, deserve the very best of accolades and today is a celebration of our learners. Some of you will make connections today to propel you further forward in the next stage of your professional progress, whether your springboard is an apprenticeship or a qualification. I hope that each of you will look back on achieving your qualification, as a key moment in the development of your professional career. Your actions are key to building the professional status of the property sector and you should have a profound sense of satisfaction in everything you have achieved to date. This is a moment to broadcast your success, graciously accept the congratulations of others and most of all, be proud of your own personal achievement.
What a fantastic day, it’s been great to talk to learners, some of them quite early in their career and hear about their experiences in the sector. Finding time to study alongside working takes some commitment, especially when your interests outside work pull you in different directions, so I have huge admiration for them and wish them the very best of success.
It’s great to see an event that helps build those connections between learners and the ‘great and the good’ of the sector and I see that a lot with Propertymark, sharing expertise, offering help across the membership. It’s really wonderful.
Peter Black, virtuoso classical guitarist entertained guests during a sparkling, post-ceremony drinks reception performing music from different periods and cultures. The stage and reception area for the event were flanked with autumnal floral arrangements which were later gifted to hospices local to the venue, to decorate bedrooms and communal spaces.
