Hat-trick for HIT: Apprenticeship Provider of the Year three years running


HIT Training is celebrating an outstanding third consecutive win at the British Training Awards with this year’s award presented under its parent organisation’s new name, The Opportunity Provider Ltd.

HIT Training has secured an incredible awards hat-trick after its parent organisation, The Opportunity Provider Ltd (TOP), was named Apprenticeship Provider of the Year at the 2026 British Training Awards.

The win marks the organisation’s third consecutive victory in the category and its first major accolade since transitioning from HIT Training Ltd to TOP.

With a record 423 entries received from organisations across the UK, the achievement is a powerful recognition of the people, expertise and purpose behind HIT Training and its continued commitment to transforming careers, strengthening businesses and creating lasting opportunities.

People-powered, purpose-led training

The award recognises more than the quality of the organisation’s apprenticeship programmes. It also reflects the people-led approach behind them.

The Opportunity Provider operates as an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), giving colleagues a genuine stake in the organisation and its future. This creates a shared commitment to delivering exceptional training and supports a stable, long-term approach focused on quality, integrity and lasting impact.

For HIT Training’s learners and employers, that commitment can be felt throughout the entire learning journey.

As a specialist apprenticeship and training provider for the hospitality, catering, brewing and retail industries, HIT Training understands the opportunities and challenges facing the sectors it serves.

Its trainers bring real industry experience to their roles, allowing them to connect learning directly to the workplace. This ensures training is relevant, practical and shaped around the skills people and businesses genuinely need.

Specialists in the sectors we serve

HIT Training works with businesses of every size, from independent operators to some of the UK’s leading employers.

Its apprenticeship programmes provide clear development pathways for people at every stage of their careers – from those taking their first steps into an industry to experienced professionals preparing for management and leadership roles.

By combining national reach with personalised support and specialist industry knowledge, HIT Training helps employers address skills gaps, strengthen retention and build confident, capable teams.

Learners benefit from expert guidance throughout their apprenticeship, gaining the practical skills, knowledge and confidence they need to succeed in their current roles and progress towards their future ambitions.

Across the wider organisation, TOP has supported more than 100,000 learners through apprenticeship and professional development programmes. Today, its network of more than 380 specialist trainers and colleagues continues to create opportunities for people and businesses across the country.

The organisation also remains committed to making those opportunities accessible. Through its focus on inclusion, social mobility and support for learners with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), TOP is working to remove barriers that can prevent people from accessing education, employment and career progression.

Mike Worley, Managing Director of The Opportunity Provider Ltd, said:

“Winning Apprenticeship Provider of the Year for the third consecutive year is an incredible achievement and a powerful recognition of our people, our purpose and the impact of our work.

“Operating as an Employee Ownership Trust means our colleagues have a genuine stake in our future. It creates a culture in which everyone is invested in delivering the very best experience for our learners and employer partners.

“Through HIT Training, we combine real industry expertise with personalised support and programmes designed around the needs of hospitality and retail. This award belongs to every colleague, learner and employer partner who has contributed to our success.”

Nate Harwood, Founder of New Possible and the British Training Awards, said:

“As we navigate a profound industrial shift, organisations equipping their people with new skills are actively building tomorrow’s economy. The British Training Awards celebrate the visionary teams and individuals driving this transformation. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners, highly commended and finalists.”

The winners were announced at a special celebration held in the Grand Hall of the Grand Connaught Rooms in Covent Garden, London, hosted by comedian Lucy Porter.

Securing the title for the third year running begins an exciting new chapter for TOP while reinforcing the purpose that has always driven HIT Training: upskilling businesses, changing lives and helping people realise their full potential.


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