UK Career Development Awards 2026 

2 December 2026 | The Burlington Hotel, Birmingham
Nominations open Monday 1 June 2026

For 2026, the nominations period for the prestigious UK Career Development Awards will open in early June and close in July. This is a change from recent years when nominations opened in December with a closing date towards the end of January.

Following changes to the Awards categories in 2025, we have also reviewed the timing of the Awards dinner – recently held in June, the evening before the National Careers Leaders’ Conference. This year, the celebration and announcement of UKCDA winners will be held at the CDI National Conference in November.

The 2026 Awards timeline will be as follows:

  • Nominations open: Monday 1 June
  • Nominations close: Monday 13 July, 10 am
  • Judging period: Over summer 
  • Shortlist announced: Week commencing Monday 7 September
  • Winners announced: At the dinner on Wednesday 2 December.

*Please note, these dates may change as exact dates are still being finalised. Full details will be shared when entries open.

Congratulations to all our 2025 winners


The 2025 Awards Ceremony took place on Tuesday 17 June at the Royal National Hotel in London, with a vibrant ‘CDI Carnival of Careers’ theme encouraging attendees to dress up and celebrate in style.

We are delighted to share the winners and shortlisted nominees for each award category. We would like to thank all those who took the time to submit a nomination and we recognise the dedication, innovation and passion that all nominees have for their work. 

A heartfelt thanks to our judges, sponsors, and all attendees for making the evening such a success. It was a glamorous celebration of outstanding careers professionals and a fantastic opportunity to reconnect and build new connections.

The awards took place the evening before the National Careers Leaders’ Conference (18 June, Royal National Hotel, London). 

Overview of 2025 award winners


Careers programme - education settings (Sponsored by CEC): Ideas4Careers  

Careers programme - non-education settings (Sponsored by CEC)
: CXK Prisons IAG & Employability Service 

Career development professional working in education settings (Sponsored by CXK): Ladi Mohammed, Founder & CEO, Global Educational Travel and Tours (GETT)

Career development professional working in non-education settings: Bethan Williams, Careers Adviser, Careers Wales

Careers provider of the year (Sponsored by CEC): Career Connect 

Contribution to the development of the profession: Danny Mirza, Head of Talent, Coventry University London

Innovative product, resource or technology (Sponsored by Purlos): The Careers People 

Rodney Cox Lifetime Achievement: Janet Colledge

Fellowships: Janet Hutchinson, Michele Squire, Monica Lemecha

Find out more about their work.

Photo gallery 

Take a look back at the unforgettable evening celebrating excellence in the careers profession! From candid moments to joyful wins and well-deserved recognition – our photo gallery captures the spirit of the night. 

View the gallery, find your photo, and share the memories!


Entertainment

Embracing this year’s ‘Carnival of Careers’ theme, the UK Career Development Awards came alive with vibrant carnival dance performances – bringing energy, rhythm, and excitement to an evening of celebration, inspiration and networking.

What attendees enjoyed:

• Watched a lively carnival dance during the opening drinks reception, with photo opportunities and meet-and-greet moments with the performers.

• Enjoyed interactive performances before the starters and after the main course, with performers engaging guests for an immersive dining experience. 

UKCDAs: Updates for 2025

We have made some important changes to the awards to encourage high-quality entries from across all areas of career development and shine the spotlight on the amazing work that CDPs do.

Read about the changes to the awards categories, the judging process and CDI promotion.

UKCDA AWARD

What are the UKCDAs?

The UK Career Development Awards (UKCDAs) are a high point in the CDI event calendar, when we recognise and celebrate excellence across the career development sector, in the UK and internationally.

Why attend?


The UKCDAs are an unmissable opportunity to come together with colleagues and friends, to recognise the hard work and brilliance in the career development sector, and celebrate peoples' achievements. Find out how the winners have made change that positively affects their clients or about a new product or service that is making waves in the sector...It's a great evening for networking and perhaps even gaining inspiration for your own work!

Commercial opportunities 

Explore our sponsorship packages, marketing opportunities and everything you need to know to get involved in this exciting event celebrating excellence in career development. For further information, please refer to the sponsor brochure.

If you have any inquires regarding commercial opportunities, please contact: jen.ellin@thecdi.net 

If you have any queries about the awards nominations, please contact [email protected]. 

Having any trouble?

Having any trouble?

Do not hesitate to reach out to us anytime.

01384 376464