Employers, educators, partners and young people from across Somerset gathered at North Cadbury Court to celebrate the outstanding achievements of businesses, schools and individuals at the Somerset Careers Awards 2026.
The annual awards, organised by the Careers and Pathways team at Somerset Council, recognise excellence in careers education, employer engagement and the contributions of those helping to inspire, prepare and support the next generation as they navigate their future career pathways.
“The Somerset Careers Awards are an important recognition of the work of our school and college careers leaders, our committed employers and the young people who have embraced and excelled in their career journeys,” said Dr. Julie Young, Expert Advisor Careers and Pathways at Somerset Council. 
“The 2026 Awards evening showcased the amazing work being undertaken across Somerset to make sure that our young people have all the careers information, advice and guidance needed to make the best decisions about their next steps, the opportunities to bring careers learning to life by our brilliant employers, and the stories of individual young people who are making such huge strides in their careers.”
This year’s awards attracted an exceptionally high calibre of nominations from across Somerset. The judging panel faced the immensely difficult task of selecting finalists and winners, with nominees demonstrating remarkable dedication, innovation and commitment to supporting careers education and employability. Young people recognised through the awards also impressed judges with their ambition, resilience and proactive approach to developing the skills and experiences needed for future success.
The awards celebrate the vital partnerships between employers, schools, colleges, training providers and community organisations that work together to provide meaningful opportunities for young people to explore careers, develop workplace skills and raise their aspirations.
]ouncillor Bill Revans, Leader of Somerset Council, said: “It was fantastic to see so much excellent work being celebrated at the awards. Somerset is lucky to have so much excellent partnership between skills and education, employers and the local authority. Congratulations to everyone that was nominated and thank you to those that sponsored the awards and the event.”
A special thank you goes to Janet Montgomery, former High Sheriff of Somerset, for generously hosting this year’s awards at the magnificent North Cadbury Court. The venue provided a fitting and memorable setting for recognising the outstanding achievements of Somerset’s employers, educators and young people.
The organisers would also like to extend their sincere thanks to Councillor Bill Revans for hosting the event and to all event sponsors, suppliers, judges, presenters, finalists and guests for helping to make the Somerset Careers Awards 2026 such a successful and memorable occasion.
This year’s winners were:
A full list of winners and finalists is available on the Somerset EBP website: https://www.somerset-ebp.co.uk/awards/categories.htm
Supporters are also encouraged to follow Somerset EBP’s social media channels for the ongoing “Spotlight on the Winners” campaign, which will further celebrate the inspiring achievements of this year’s award recipients.
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