Chris Blackburn, Director of Skills Growth at Impellam Group, was recently named as the RAF Skills Champion of the Year 2025 for the Yorkshire and Humber Region at the Apprenticeships and Skills Awards.
These nationally recognised awards celebrate the achievements and inspirational efforts of apprenticeship students and those who advocate for apprenticeship programmes and their potential.
For the 2025 Skills Champion award, judges were specifically looking for “individuals who champion apprenticeships and skills programmes with enthusiasm and has passion for apprenticeships and skills which are exceptional.”
Having been recognised as a finalist and highly commended in the category at last year’s awards, Chris has continued to dedicate himself to supporting learners, engaging with employers, and working with our partners throughout 2025, with connections and collaborations centred on one key message: Apprenticeships can change lives.
His achievements this year have included launching the Apprenticeship Technical Education Partnership (ATEP) with Santander UK, designing employer-led initiatives in schools, and leveraging digital platforms to advocate for apprenticeships at scale.
Chris has also mentored numerous individuals, contributed to the inclusion of SEND students in apprenticeship provision, and shaped sector transformation through bespoke training models in aviation and defence.
He has continued to have a key role in national policy discussions and supporting workforce development strategies across various sectors too, and received high praise for his impactful delivery of learning and advocacy workshops, all while maintaining a commitment to removing barriers and building belief in others’ potential.
Reflecting on another memorable year – which has also included a visit to Buckingham Palace, having been invited to a Royal Garden Party in recognition of his work – and on winning this award, Chris said:
“You can’t be what you can’t see, and that’s exactly why I do what I do. Through my work driving skills growth, I’m lucky to connect with some of the most influential people in the UK’s leading organisations. Together, we create opportunities that make the invisible visible, opening doors, breaking barriers, and showing the next generation that there’s a place for them too. Because when talent meets access, everything changes.”
You can hear from Chris as he discusses the importance of skills growth programmes and the role of our Recruit, Train, Deploy model on Guidant Global’s latest ‘A Better Way’ podcast.
About Impellam
Impellam is a connected group providing global workforce and STEM talent solutions. Our 1700 people and market leading brands work across a broad spectrum of industries and job categories throughout North America, the UK and Europe and Asia Pacific.
Our award-winning Global Managed Services provide a diverse range of digitally enabled, multi-disciplinary workforce solutions to organisations. We are upper quadrant industry leaders in Managed Service Provision and Services Procurement, and IT.
Our STEM businesses are specialists in recruiting and engaging talent in the key growth markets of technology, digital, data analytics, science, clinical and engineering and work with customers across all sectors and sizes. We believe in the power of work.
Through the power of work, we build better businesses and help people lead more fulfilling lives.
Our brands include: Comensura, Guidant Global, SRG, Lorien, Carbon60 and Bartech.
For more information about Impellam Group: www.impellam.com.