John Hyde Scoops Special Recognition Award

Our Executive Chairman John Hyde has received special recognition at the AAC Awards.

John was honoured with the Award for changing the lives of thousands of people through apprenticeships during a career which spans over 40 years in work-based learning. He was also a founding member of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP), the organisation behind the awards.

The special black tie event was the ninth annual AAC Awards and saw individuals, training providers, employers, universities and colleges recognised for their efforts in the apprenticeship world.

The awards ceremony, delivered in partnership with City and Guilds, attracted a record 375 nominations across the 19 categories, with 20 winners being announced and five organisations recognised as highly commended.

Congratulations to John

Since co-founding HIT in 2006 along with Managing Director Jill Whittaker, John has built the company to become one of the UK’s leading apprenticeship providers training over 250,000 learners from 20,000 employer sites across the country.

John’s first experience of the hospitality sector came when he left school at 16 to join BTC Hotels management scheme where he developed his passion for the industry.

He then joined the United Nations in the Democratic Republic of Congo for four years with the United Nations Bureau of Social Affairs (UNBSA) and upon returning to the UK opened a restaurant in Brighton.

Eventually he found his way into work-based education, initially working for the Hospitality Industry Training Board which was later to become the Hotel and Catering Training Company (HCTC). When he left there, he started the Hospitality and Catering Training Partnership (HCTP) which changed its name to Hospitality Plus in 1998, and in 2001 was sold to Vosper Thorneycroft to become part of VT Training (now Babcock).

After a five-year non-competition clause expired in 2006, and with the introduction of Train to Gain, John called Jill Whittaker and HIT Training was born.

In 2017, John was recognised in Her Majesty’s 90th Birthday Honours list with a CBE for services to Apprenticeships in Hospitality and Care.

We would like to say a huge congratulations to John on his achievements in the sector and his AAC Award.

Catering and Hospitality Apprenticeship Provider of the Year

We’re also delighted to announce HIT Training has been ‘highly commended’ as the Catering and Hospitality Apprenticeship Provider of the Year at the AAC Awards 2023.

HIT was commended for its mission to transform lives, shape futures and boost income opportunities through its highly driven team of expert tutors that deliver professional apprenticeships from levels 2 to 4.

There was also recognition for how they have built exceptional partnerships with sector bodies, institutions and higher education to drive innovation within apprenticeships and open pathways to success for everyone, whatever their background.