Inverness business The TEFL Org honoured by UK government-run awards for its export success
EXPORTING success for an Inverness-based businesses has won it plaudits in the inaugural 'Made in the UK, Sold to the World Awards'.
The TEFL Org was highly-commended by the judges for its work exporting life-enhancing education courses around the globe,
News of their award was released alongside other winners today (Wednesday).
The contest's organisers said that exporters support jobs, pay higher wages and help grow the economy, "and these inaugural awards highlight the vital contribution small businesses make to the UK".
Having been nominated in the Education category, The TEFL Org were highly commended after inspiring hundreds of thousands of students to have their own life-enhancing experience teaching English as a foreign language.
For years they have exported all of their TEFL courses, giving students the certification they need to start a new career teaching English to people all over the world. Their online access and virtual classrooms mean that they can be easily accessed by students across the world, wherever they're based, and whatever time zone they’re in.
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Andy Healy, managing director of The TEFL Org, said: “It’s a wonderful honour to be highly commended in the education category of these awards. It’s a great initiative celebrating the best of UK exports and at the heart of that is our language.
“From our humble beginnings in the Highlands of Scotland to the most accredited TEFL provider in the world, The TEFL Org continually strives to promote education, build communities and change lives through our unrivalled course delivery and student support.
“We’re immensely proud to have received this recognition.”
The winning businesses were drawn from seven sectors – consumer goods, education, agriculture, food and drink, creative, financial and professional services, digital and manufacturing. Within each category there were overall winners with three additional businesses awarded highly commended status for their inspiring business stories and exporting prowess.
The UK government's business and trade minister, Kevin Hollinrake, said: “The standard of nominations for these awards was very strong, so it’s a fantastic achievement for The TEFL Org to be highly commended in their category.
“They and the other Scottish businesses that have been recognised exemplify the benefits of exporting, and I hope they can inspire others to consider selling their products abroad.”
In 2021, the UK government's Department for Business and Trade launched the ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World’ campaign to celebrate exporting success from across the UK and tell businesses’ stories. The department said the new awards programme will build on this to further recognise and celebrate the global trading success of small and medium enterprises from across the UK.
Winning businesses will receive a digital badge and physical certificate and have promotional activity across the department's channels, including individual profiles to share their export success. They will also be visited by a department official and receive an Institute of Export & International Trade (IOE&IT) complimentary business membership for one year.
