Northern Star double caps a memorable evening for NESCol

April 18, 2026

NESCol is celebrating Northern Star Business Awards success after winning two categories at the prestigious annual ceremony.

Organised by the Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, the awards celebrate North East enterprise, innovation and organisational excellence.

NESCol was selected by judges as the winner in the Driving Sustainability category and the Staff Matter section at the ceremony at P&J Live on Friday evening.

The panel for the sustainability award were impressed by the institution’s multi-faceted commitment to environmental goals, from energy efficient operational initiatives and staff development to curriculum delivery in green skills and investment in educational infrastructure. This includes the launch of the £10million Energy Transition Skills Hub in 2025 and the introduction of the Energy on the Move mobile teaching resource.

The Staff Matters prize marks the wide-ranging focus on professional development and wellbeing at NESCol, with an employee-led approach shaping training for individuals and teams. The emphasis on workplace culture, aimed at attracting and retaining talent, was also at the heart of the success.

In the Customer First category there was also recognition as a finalist for the ASET International Energy Training Academy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the College. That prize was won by AV One Solutions.

Neil Cowie, NESCol Principal and Chief Executive, said: “Our congratulations go to all of the finalists and category winners in this year’s Northern Star Awards. It is a source of great pride to see NESCol’s name up in lights alongside so many fantastic at an event that is always one of the highlights of the region’s calendar.

“We were honoured to be finalists in three categories and to win two of those categories is a further endorsement of the work being done by colleagues across the College. Behind every award nomination and success is a team effort and that is undoubtedly the case in these examples. My congratulations go to the NESCol and ASET teams involved.

“Sustainability is a pillar of our strategy for the growth and evolution of NESCol, both from an operational perspective and in terms of learning and teaching, whilst our ambitions as a progressive employer are another key component. To have both recognised by the Northern Star judges is very welcome.”

Read more about the 2026 Northern Star Business Awards on the AGCC website.