Jigsaw Sweeps In With Cleaning Award

A specialist FM training provider has been praised for helping to raise professional standards in the cleaning industry.

Jigsaw Training scooped The Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners’ Eric Hill Memorial Award for producing the greatest number of successful candidates in a cleaning-related qualification each year.

Presented each year in collaboration with the City and Guilds Institute, Issa Tahhan, Master of the Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners, presented the award at the livery company’s court luncheon in Armourers’ Hall in London.

He said: “Promoting the advancement of education and training within the cleaning industry is at the heart of our company’s Royal Charter. Trainees and apprentices awarded certificates on achieving National Vocational Qualifications have a crucial role to play in raising professional standards in the cleaning industry. It is a great pleasure to present the Eric Hill Memorial Award to a training provider who is making such a significant contribution to that cause.”

Jigsaw Training, based in Preston, Lancashire, and founded by James and Sue Blackhurst in 1997, has grown to become one of the few national training providers of apprenticeships and related qualifications in the UK facilities management industry.

The company is the training partner of Mitie, which employs more than 1,500 apprentices in FM, security, catering and hospitality, as well as cleaning.

Mark Forster-Hamill, training operations director of Jigsaw Training, accepted the award on behalf of the company. He said: “We’re proud to win this award, not only because of its prestige nature, but because this recognises the commitment to raising standards in the industry.”