1st Awards Limited

What 1st Awards Limited does

1st Awards Limited is a UK-based, Ofqual-approved End Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO) founded in 2019 by Andrew Dale and Tracey Sajno. It conducts independent end-point assessments for apprentices across more than 28 apprenticeship standards spanning Hospitality & Catering, Business & Administration, Accounting, Digital, Creative & Design, Health & Science, and Sales/Marketing/Procurement. Its primary customers are UK training providers and employers seeking compliant, Ofqual- and IfATE-aligned assessment services, with named relationships including University College Birmingham, Fuller's, Developing Skills, Trafford College, and Michelin-starred hospitality employers.

The company's core technical platform is the epaPRO portal, which supports apprentice registration, evidence upload, planning meetings, results, and certification tracking, complementing a service-delivery model that combines remote, online, and face-to-face assessments. Service operations are supported by an in-house team covering business development, compliance, operations, internal quality assurance, and client liaison, with assessors and invigilators drawn from a broader pool. The company has begun extending beyond EPA into a portfolio of CPD-certified online self-paced short courses, beginning with AI Awareness in the Workplace and additional titles in the pipeline.

Revenue is generated on a per-apprentice, pay-as-you-go basis, with assessment fees ranging from approximately £500 for the Accounts or Finance Assistant standard up to £2,200 for Health Play Specialist, plus a £31.20 gateway fee per apprentice for epaPRO access. Short courses are sold as one-time purchases. The business is privately owned by its two founders with no external funding, serves UK customers exclusively, and is structured with an independent governance board overseeing quality, compliance, and financial robustness.

Name

1st Awards Limited

Legal name

1st Awards Limited

Website

https://1st-awards.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

1st Awards Limited is a UK-based, Ofqual-approved End Point Assessment Organisation that conducts independent apprenticeship assessments across 28+ standards for UK training providers and employers, supplemented by a newly launched CPD-certified short course portfolio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Apprenticeship Assessment Services

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Awarding Organizations & Credentialing Bodies (Certificates/Diplomas) (EDADAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

National/State Examination Boards & Testing Agencies (EDADAFAA), Accreditation Standards, Benchmarking & Framework Organizations (EDADACAJ)

Keywords

• End point assessment
• Apprenticeship assessment
• Vocational qualification services
• Ofqual approved certification
• Workforce credentialing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Not specified

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. End Point Assessment Services: 1st Awards charges per-apprentice assessment fees across multiple apprenticeship standards. Pricing varies by standard (ranging from £500 for Accounts or Finance Assistant to £2,200 for Health Play Specialist), with additional gateway fees of £31.20 per apprentice for epaPRO access. Free re-sits are offered on remote MCQs for first re-sits.
2. Short Courses: CPD-certified online self-paced courses available for purchase, including AI Awareness in the Workplace. Additional courses coming soon include Safeguarding, Phishing, Diversity and Equality, and Apprentice Wellbeing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

1st Awards is an Ofqual-approved End Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO) delivering independent End Point Assessments for apprentices across 27 UK apprenticeship standards spanning Hospitality & Catering, Business & Administration, Accounting, Digital, Health & Science, Creative & Design, and Sales/Marketing/Procurement. The company also sells online self-paced CPD-certified short courses (such as AI Awareness in the Workplace) and provides supporting services including bespoke materials, mock assessments, tailored toolkits, planning meetings, apprentice welfare support, and compliance guidance.

Product overview

1st Awards Limited is an Ofqual-approved End Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO) founded in 2019, offering a comprehensive portfolio of apprenticeship assessment services and professional short courses. The core product is End Point Assessment (EPA) services covering over 28 apprenticeship standards across seven sectors: Hospitality & Catering (Production Chef, Commis Chef, Senior Culinary Chef, Hospitality Supervisor, Hospitality Team Member, Hospitality Manager, Baker, Pastry Chef, Chef de Partie, Hospitality Accommodation Team Member, Food and Beverage Team Member), Business & Administration (Quality Practitioner, HR Support, People Professional, Team Leader, Operational Manager, Coaching Professional), Health & Science (Health Play Specialist), Accounting (Accounts or Finance Assistant, Assistant Accountant, Professional Accounting Technician, Professional Taxation Technician), Creative & Design (Content Creator), Digital (Data Technician, Data Analyst), and Sales/Marketing/Procurement (Multi-Channel Marketer). Supporting services include Mock Assessments, Tailored Toolkits, Project Support Templates, Planning Meeting Services, Apprentice Welfare Support, and Compliance/Regulation Support. Additionally, the company offers a growing portfolio of online, self-paced, CPD-certified Short Courses including AI Awareness in the Workplace (available now) and upcoming courses in Safeguarding, Phishing, Diversity and Equality, and Apprentice Wellbeing. The EPA process follows a structured workflow: Registration, Allocation, Gateway, Planning Meeting, Assessment, Results, and Certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• End Point Assessment (EPA) Services Comprehensive Ofqual-approved End Point Assessment services for apprentices across multiple UK apprenticeship standards, delivered through a structured workflow of Registration, Allocation, Gateway, Planning Meeting, Assessment, Results, and Certification. Sold to UK training providers and employers on a per-apprentice basis.
• Production Chef End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the Production Chef apprenticeship standard under Hospitality & Catering, priced at £1,000 per apprentice.
• Senior Production Chef End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the Senior Production Chef apprenticeship standard under Hospitality & Catering, priced at £800 per apprentice.
• Commis Chef End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the Commis Chef apprenticeship standard under Hospitality & Catering, priced at £1,450 (V1.3) and £1,350 (V1.4) per apprentice.
• Senior Culinary Chef End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the Senior Culinary Chef apprenticeship standard under Hospitality & Catering, priced at £1,665 per apprentice.
• Hospitality Supervisor End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the Hospitality Supervisor apprenticeship standard under Hospitality & Catering, priced at £1,100 per apprentice.
• Hospitality Team Member End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the Hospitality Team Member apprenticeship standard under Hospitality & Catering, priced at £1,275 per apprentice.
• Hospitality Manager End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the Hospitality Manager apprenticeship standard under Hospitality & Catering, priced at £1,750 per apprentice.
• Baker End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the Baker apprenticeship standard under Hospitality & Catering, priced at £1,600 per apprentice.
• Pastry Chef End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the Pastry Chef apprenticeship standard under Hospitality & Catering, priced at £1,600 per apprentice.
• Chef de Partie End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the Chef de Partie apprenticeship standard under Hospitality & Catering, priced at £1,600 per apprentice.
• Multi-Channel Marketer End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the Multi-Channel Marketer apprenticeship standard under Sales, Marketing and Procurement, priced at £1,350 per apprentice.
• Quality Practitioner End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the Quality Practitioner apprenticeship standard under Business & Administration, priced at £835 per apprentice.
• HR Support End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the HR Support apprenticeship standard under Business & Administration, priced at £810 per apprentice.
• People Professional End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the People Professional apprenticeship standard under Business & Administration, priced at £1,650 per apprentice.
• Team Leader End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the Team Leader apprenticeship standard under Business & Administration, priced at £750 per apprentice.
• Operational Manager End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the Operational Manager apprenticeship standard under Business & Administration, priced at £975 per apprentice.
• Coaching Professional End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the Coaching Professional apprenticeship standard under Business & Administration, priced at £999 per apprentice.
• Health Play Specialist End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the Health Play Specialist apprenticeship standard under Health & Science, priced at £2,200 per apprentice.
• Accounts or Finance Assistant End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the Accounts or Finance Assistant apprenticeship standard under Accounting, priced at £500 per apprentice.
• Assistant Accountant End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the Assistant Accountant apprenticeship standard under Accounting, priced at £650 per apprentice.
• Professional Accounting Technician End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the Professional Accounting Technician apprenticeship standard under Accounting, priced at £820 per apprentice.
• Professional Taxation Technician End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the Professional Taxation Technician apprenticeship standard under Accounting, priced at £1,176 per apprentice.
• Data Technician End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the Data Technician apprenticeship standard under Digital, priced at £950 per apprentice.
• Data Analyst End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the Data Analyst apprenticeship standard under Digital, priced at £950 per apprentice.
• Content Creator End Point Assessment End Point Assessment for the Content Creator apprenticeship standard under Creative & Design; pricing not publicly disclosed.
• AI Awareness in the Workplace Short Course Online, self-paced, CPD-certified short course teaching employees how to use AI safely, responsibly, and in line with company expectations. Covers AI in the workplace, hidden dangers, data sharing policies, and compliance. Sold to individuals and organisations on a one-time purchase basis.

Quantifiable outcome

• Results available within 5 working days after assessment
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• University College Birmingham (UCB)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUCB is a key training provider partner working with 1st Awards for End Point Assessment services. Their logo appears on the 1st Awards website as a partner organisation.
• Fuller'scoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFuller's is an employer partner whose apprentices undergo EPA with 1st Awards. Their logo appears on the 1st Awards website as a partner organisation.
• Developing SkillscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDeveloping Skills is a training provider partner working with 1st Awards for EPA services. Their logo appears on the 1st Awards website as a partner organisation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• NCFE: NCFE is a major UK awarding organisation offering EPA services across numerous apprenticeship standards and serving both training providers and employers, making it a direct competitor in the regulated EPAO market.
• NOCN: NOCN Group is a UK awarding organisation and EPAO offering End Point Assessment across multiple apprenticeship standards, directly comparable to 1st Awards in customer base, regulatory positioning, and service model.
• Highfield Qualifications: Highfield is one of the largest UK awarding bodies and EPAOs, providing End Point Assessment across multiple sectors including hospitality and business administration, with comparable coverage to 1st Awards but far greater scale.
• Open Awards: Open Awards is an Ofqual-recognised awarding organisation and EPAO operating in the same niche as 1st Awards, providing End Point Assessment services to UK training providers and employers across multiple apprenticeship standards.
• AIM Awards: AIM Awards is an Ofqual-recognised awarding body and End Point Assessment Organisation that competes with 1st Awards for apprenticeship EPA contracts, particularly across vocational and occupational standards.
• Training Qualifications UK (TQUK): TQUK is an Ofqual-recognised awarding organisation and End Point Assessment Organisation offering EPA across a wide range of apprenticeship standards, directly competing with 1st Awards for UK training-provider and employer contracts.

Emerging players

• BCS (The Chartered Institute for IT): BCS is an awarding body and professional body that delivers End Point Assessment for digital and IT apprenticeship standards, directly competing with 1st Awards in the Data Technician and Data Analyst EPA segment.

Broad incumbents

• Pearson: Pearson is a global education company with a large UK awarding body and EPAO division (Pearson Edexcel). It overlaps with 1st Awards in apprenticeship End Point Assessment but operates across a much wider product portfolio and international markets.
• City & Guilds: City & Guilds is one of the UK's largest and most established awarding organisations, offering a much broader portfolio of vocational qualifications and apprenticeship EPA services. It competes with 1st Awards but at significantly greater scale and brand recognition.

Others

• Federation of Awarding Bodies (FAB): FAB is the UK trade association for awarding organisations and a key ecosystem participant. 1st Awards is referenced through FAB's AAO of the Year Award nomination, making FAB a relevant ecosystem peer rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1st-awards-limited

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 1st Awards Limited