Career Development Professional Working in Non-Education Settings

Recognising an individual who has made an outstanding contribution over the past year to clients of any age outside formal education settings, such as within employers, the voluntary sector, in prisons and in other settings. 

Congratulations to our shortlisted nominees


Suzanne Collier

Suzanne Collier is known as THE person to see if you want to get ahead in book publishing. Since founding bookcareers.com in 1999, she has become the industry's trusted careers expert, supporting both individuals and employers.She provides career coaching and guidance, training, job clubs, careers clinics, salary research, speaks at industry events and is the author of How to Job Search in Book Publishing: The Ultimate Insider's Guide. Suzanne's work directly influences a billion-pound creative industry, underpinned by her unwavering commitment to belonging, inclusion and integrity

Keely Madgin  

Keely is a Careers Leader who has an underlying passion for Neurodiversity. Combining her knowledge of Career Development theories and Neurodiversity coaching, she is striving for change and better support of the Neurodivergent mind. Through her private coaching appointments with adults changing careers, to working with local organisations such as Neurodiversity Community CIC in North Yorkshire, she is working towards more holistic support for neurodivergent minds to allow them to build towards a career path that is sustainable for them.

Vardaan Shekhawat

Career development is about more than helping someone secure a job. It is about rebuilding confidence when people feel they have lost it. My work supports international students and professionals navigating the UK job market, many of whom arrive with exceptional talent but little understanding of an unfamiliar recruitment system. Through UK Jobs Insider, I combine labour market insight, personalised coaching, community learning and technology to make guidance accessible and practical, helping people stop doubting their potential, understand where they belong and build careers with confidence.