100% Logistics apprenticeship success recognised at National Courier Awards 2026
West Thames College Collaboration in learning delivering for HBC Same Day courier company wins 100% candidate outcome score.
Heathrow MP, Minister Seema Malhotra on stage with David Jamieson and Sir John Hayes MP to recognise Ofsted Grade One West Thames College collaboration to deliver Express delivery operative level 2 apprenticeship success with HBC Same day courier employer.
Delivering learning to our the front line, outside of conventional on-line, to adapt to our teams in their workplace.
Collaboration with an Ofsted Grade One college.
The delivery of an off-line portfolio workbook delivered on the job.
Levy paid, with no expense to candidate or courier company.
A one hundred per cent success.
A twelve month on job programe assessed last year with a 100% success rate.
Uniquely Every candidate passed the course.
Former transport ministers - Three IOC Vice presidents reunite for Historic thirtieth year turnout at 2026 National courier Awrds with largest mix and widest geographic of express companies ever.
Minister Seema Malhotra celebrating next generation logistics apprentice winners with UWL University Vice Chancellor Peter John.
WTC Principal Marta Gajewska with HBC Ben Weldon in recognition for next generation to logistics sector with one hundred percent collaboration win.
First individual recognition went to next generation, Minster and MP for Feltham & Heston, Heathrow Seema Malhotra, education on stage with Univ West London Vice Chancelor Peter John to award the next generation. First up was Marta G principle of West Thames College for delivering a 100% candidate group success to HBC with a unique on job portfolio work book solution for our front line. Top apprentice of the year award went with distinction to Whistl Samuel Riteson. Finale for three to stage of the very first Hons Degree students in Express Manager BSc, Russell Bernstein, Robert Ridgewell & Richard underwood.
National Courier Awards - Thirty years in the making. Postcodes signposted the tables for a Gala celebration to remember, Express logistics to door from start to finish. Guests welcomed by Marines ensemble on the balcony, Bagpipes led the shortlisters to stage. Opera star roused the fellows before a trumpet fanfare to a thirty year countdown for the winners. All three IOC vice presidents for the thirty years. Traffic Commissioner, Alderman, Livery Masters and University Vice Chancellor were on stage to present the octagonal golden glass awards.
Individuals fresh from the iconic shortisters group photo walked tall and proud into the magnificent City of London livery hall with their golden award plaques headed by the Bagpipes.
IOC CEO Dr Tracey Worth explained the Curly Wurlys at postcode tables. Dr Tracey organised the loudest rattle of clappers ever, and welcomed the best to an evening to remember. ‘The opening keynote to a year of early peak triggered by product launch deliveries of the i-phone 18 and exploding express courier numbers in a sector recognised as key worker, critical infrastructure by an abundance f government guests at the round tables.
Learning and knowledge, City of London Alderman, Alison Gowman to rally giant applause for knowledge as she welcomed the Owl who rocked the National Courier Awards to showcase next generation learning apprentices. It was the largest mix of companies ever, SME’s, Regional’s and National brands at the same tables. DfT, DFE, DEFRA, DVSA all in the room.
Lights camera action for the gala evening celebration of the 30th National Courier Awards hosted by the Institute of Couriers. A full house, standing room only and many were standing for standing ovations as they rattled the iconic IOC clappers.
Life services closed the evening, standing ovation went to IOC senior fellow Jon Bunting for delivering the nightly miracle fo paper media across the UK, delivering a decade long contract and facilitating Covid recovery support for sector. Clappers rattled the roof of the City of London Livery Hall for the 2026 National Courier Awards delivered by the Institute of Couriers.
West Thames College – HBC Same Day – An off line solution for our front line delivery operatives
The winning nomination ………
Delivering learning to our the front line, outside of conventional on-line, to adapt to our teams in their workplace
Colaborationg an Ofsted grade one college
The deliver an off line portfolio workbook delivered on the job
Levy paid with no expense to candidate or courier company
A one hundred per cent success
A twelve month on job programe assessed last year with a 100% success ratio
Uniquely Every candidate passed the course
The Apprentice collaboration Award nomination details
Describe the partnership?
This nomination describes a truly collaborative solution adapting an old school learning style of pen and paper in a mobile work environment that has built exceptional gains for the employer.
It is a three way collaboration between a professional body, the employer and an FE college training provider
Sector expertise from the Institute of Couriers has been distilled into a unique apprenticeship workbook for mobile candidates, supported by a sector focused FE college and an employer at the frontline of a critical infrastructure delivery program success for final mile, same day delivery.
HBC Logistics provide UK and European logistics services with a strong focus on same day deliveries is headquartered in Biggleswade, fifty miles north of London. HBC engaged with leading logistics training experts, West Thames College to use the Institute of Couriers workbook-based training delivery programme for their Express Delivery Operative Level 2 (ST0103) apprentices.
West Thames College focus on the express logistics sector as their campus is in the heartland of the West London logistics hot spot, with Heathrow Airport and the A4, M4 feeds to London down the Hounslow Golden Mile. Their Express Delivery Operative apprentice training programme is based on a unique work book designed to support a group of candidates who often have no online access. While delivering customer promise of first time every time delivery at door, express final mile delivery candidates often find themselves far beyond the office work station environment and without access to a computer or online connection. The Express Delivery Operative work books were developed by Department for Transport industry recognised stakeholder; the Institute of Couriers. The development work was guided by a series of IOC facilitated employer round tables which ensured that each of the knowledge, skills and behaviours in the apprenticeship is underpinned by up to date and relevant learning material which is grounded upon current on-job industry practices. The workbooks provide opportunities for interactive candidate and supervisor learning. Candidates are able to interact with fellow delivery team members to tackle topics such as road route knowledge and dynamic issues such as traffic, congestion or road work changes to route. All teaching is delivered in modular blocks by West Thames College.
How has the partnership led to improved apprenticeship outcomes?
The start to completion delivered at HBC has delivered seventy five per cent first time pass rates for the 2025 candidates.
The workbook is structured against the Duties and KSBs of the apprenticeship, giving apprentices simple access to key knowledge about each topic, allied to guidance about the workplace activities, enabling them to develop and demonstrate skills and behaviours. Each topic is supported as appropriate by cases studies, quotes from industry leaders and questions which enable candidates to assess their growing grasp of the topic.
A key feature are a series of 'top tips' (e.g. "shortest route may not be the quickest due to congestion and road work impacts") to boost workplace supervisor engagement by stimulating discussing real world examples of local work situations. This adds breadth to the collaboration between employer and training provider.
Feedback from the HBC supervisors who are supporting the apprentices is that this has made them more confident to engage in workplace learning, as they have ‘user friendly’ access to apprenticeship content which they feel comfortable in discussing and elaborating with the apprentices they supervise.
West Thames College underpin the employer engagement with individual module learning which is cross referenced in workbooks, enabling candidates to self-audit and sign off their progress with support from college tutors. Delivery of each module involves a combination of college training providers and expert input in the form of master class support from the institute of couriers.
Reflecting the quality of the learning programme, 100 % of the apprentice candidates passed their professional membership platform exams for the member ship grade of the Institute of Couriers.
What is the main challenge in creating and maintaining the partnership?
The initial challenge for the HBC Logistics (the employer) was to find a solution for the limited on-line connectivity in a job role that involves lone working without access to online learning resources.
With assistance from IOC (the professional body) they set out to identify and develop a paper-based programme, outside of the conventional internet training packages for apprentices. West Thames College, who received an “Outstanding” rating in its Ofsted inspection, carried out in December 2024, stepped forward.
With the delivery model in place, the final challenge was for West Thames and HBC to devise an apprentice tracking and auditing process for this paper-based system of delivery
Provide examples of innovation or best practice that have emerged
Workbook extended to engage dynamic learning between delivery roles, road space congestion, road works or traffic accidents evolve on the job, driving learning to engage across collaborative on road communication packages. The step of learning evolved confidence to extend communications and help all members of the company.
What future goals or development for this partnership?
West Thames College principal, Marta Gajewska highlights the importance of building strong skills, collaborative education and career pathways for future logistics professionals: “The sector is a cornerstone of the UK economy… We are committed to working with employers and partners to inspire and train the next generation of logistics professionals. At West Thames College, we continue to expand our logistics courses and apprenticeships, and proudly lead the Logistics Skills Hub — driving skills, innovation and opportunity across the sector. The collaboration with the Institute of Couriers is a fantastic celebration of progress, inclusion and the power of education to shape the future of logistics.”
Dr Tracey Worth IOC CEO explained ‘We had identified the mobility of the candidates and the distance from internet access was a huge barrier to engagement for express delivery operatives. The workbooks were developed collaboratively by sector employers, round tables from SMEs to national delivery brands engaged in a common goal of content, An example of collaborative content, Brand and ambassador at door featured strong in the behaviour delivery discussions. Delivering customer promise, first time every time success to client all discussed cross sector with common goals. We then needed the collaboration of a training provider to deliver the unusual platform outside of the internet. I congratulate Ofsted Outstanding, West Thames College taking the challenge for our sector, delivering the none internet route to support our sector, HBC is a splendid example of success for multi collaboration delivery. It is joy to see their candidates not only complete their apprenticeships, but win our professional status goals and step up in their own roles to give breadth to our next generation of express logistics.’
