Log in

NZATD Awards 2025

We are thrilled to reveal the winners and finalists for the 2025 NZATD Awards.

CLICK HERE to see who and celebrate excellence in learning and development.

Enter the Awards

Submissions for 2026 will open a little earlier next year, starting in April. However, you can prepare as we have all the criteria and questions below.

Become a judge!

Thank you so much to everyone who volunteered to be a judge this year! If you're keen to get involved in 2026, watch this space for updates!

Preparing your submission

In preparation for 2026, we recommend you:

read the criteria for each category below
download a copy of the Submission Guidance and familiarise yourself all the requirements for the categories you are entering, particularly the competency requirements
download the relevant sample document below and start gathering the information required to answer the submission questions

Categories and Criteria

The awards are open to any member of the New Zealand L&D community (except for the NZATD Awards Committee). The categories are aligned with the NZATD Competency Framework and our values. Please refer to this information when reviewing criteria requirements for each category.

Entrants must:

demonstrate how they or their chosen project meets the award category criteria
be based in or work primarily for a New Zealand-based organisation.

Projects must have been completed within the last two years.

Finalists will be notified once judging is complete.

Feedback will be provided to all entrants once winners have been announced.

Winners will be announced at the NZATD Awards Gala Dinner in September at the Waipuna Function Centre, Auckland. This will be followed the next day by the Digital Learning Showcase.

Need help?

If you have any questions or need further information, please contact the Awards Committee at awards@nzatd.org.nz.

Gala Dinner

The Gala Dinner to announce all the winners will be held in September 2026 at the Waipuna Hotel. We are just waiting on confirmation of the date and tickets will be available mid next year.

Our Sponsors

A massive thanks to all our 2025 sponsors!

To join out amazing list of sponsors, download your copy our prospectus and get in touch!

Premier Partner

Category Partners

Individual Award Categories

L&D Practitioner of the Year

This award is presented to a long-standing practitioner who demonstrates best practice and to recognise the contributions, inspiration and guidance they provide to the L&D community.

Criteria

Be employed in the L&D field for more than five years
Demonstrate application of the Core Competencies (Adult Learning Principles and Learning and Development Practice)
Demonstrate high skill in the application of three Specialist Competencies (Instructional Design, Assessment, On-the-Job Training, Evaluation, eLearning, Facilitation, Informal/Social Learning)
Demonstrate application of one NZATD value (Kotahitanga, Manaakitanga, Mohiotanga, Tikanga)

Emerging L&D Practitioner of the Year

This award is presented to a newer L&D practitioner to recognise the contributions they are making to the L&D community and encourage them to strive for best practice.

Criteria

Be employed in the L&D field for less than two years
Demonstrate application of the Core Competencies (Adult Learning Principles and Learning and Development Practice)
Demonstrate high skill in the application of one Specialist Competencies (Instructional Design, Assessment, On-the-Job Training, Evaluation, eLearning, Facilitation, Informal/Social Learning)
Demonstrate application of one NZATD value (Kotahitanga, Manaakitanga, Mohiotanga, Tikanga)

L&D Team Member

This award is presented to an established L&D practitioner that works in a permanent or fixed term capacity, to recognise the contributions they are making to their organisation and the L&D community.

Criteria

Be employed, in a permanent or fixed term capacity, in the field of L&D for more than two years
Demonstrate application of the Core Competencies (Adult Learning Principles and Learning and Development Practice)
Demonstrate high skill in the application of two Specialist Competencies (Instructional Design, Assessment, On-the-Job Training, Evaluation, eLearning, Facilitation, Informal/Social Learning)
Demonstrate application of one NZATD value (Kotahitanga, Manaakitanga, Mohiotanga, Tikanga)

L&D Consultant

This award is presented to an L&D practitioner that work in a consultancy capacity to recognise the contributions they are making to the L&D community.

Criteria

Provided contract L&D services for at least two years
Demonstrate application of the Core Competencies (Adult Learning Principles and Learning and Development Practice)
Demonstrate high skill in the application of two Specialist Competencies (Instructional Design, Assessment, On-the-Job Training, Evaluation, eLearning, Facilitation, Informal/Social Learning)
Demonstrate application of one NZATD value (Kotahitanga, Manaakitanga, Mohiotanga, Tikanga)

L&D Manager

This award is presented to an outstanding L&D manager to recognise the contributions, inspiration and guidance they provide to their team and the L&D community.

Criteria

Be employed in an L&D manager role or lead a team of at least two people in the L&D field
Demonstrate application of one Learning Leader Competency (Develop and maintain strong working relationships with key business stakeholders, develop and maintain effective L&D reporting systems, plan and oversee the L&D project lifecycle)
Demonstrate application of one NZATD value (Kotahitanga, Manaakitanga, Mohiotanga, Tikanga)

L&D Strategist

This award is presented to an L&D practitioner working at a more strategic level within the field of L&D, who provides inspiration, guidance and insight.

Criteria

Report directly to CE or contracts to provide L&D Strategic Services to an organisation
Demonstrate application of two Learning Strategist Competencies (Provides input into business strategy at Executive and Board level through learning lens, develops cases for strategic L&D initiatives, champions L&D with strategic stakeholders manage the delivery of learning at the enterprise level and manage strategic learning initiatives to support organisational talent management)
Demonstrate application of one NZATD value (Kotahitanga, Manaakitanga, Mohiotanga, Tikanga)

Initiative Award Categories

Best Induction or Onboarding programme

This award is presented to an organisation, company or individual to recognise best practice in bringing new employees into an organisation.

Criteria

Relates to a programme designed to provide new employees with the skills and knowledge they require to be job ready
Demonstrate an innovative use of resources within project budget
Demonstrate consideration or integration of diversity and inclusion
Demonstrate application of the Core Competencies (Adult Learning Principles and Learning and Development Practice)
Demonstrate considered, actual or planned application of the Specialist Competency Evaluation
Demonstrate application of three other Specialist Competencies (Instructional Design, Assessment, Coaching, On-the-Job Training, eLearning, Facilitation, Informal/Social Learning)

Best Compliance Learning Programme

This award is presented to an organisation, company or individual to recognise innovative, engaging and excellent compliance learning.

Criteria

Relates to a nationally recognised compliance topic
Demonstrate an innovative use of resources within project budget
Demonstrate consideration or integration of diversity and inclusion
Demonstrate application of the Core Competencies (Adult Learning Principles and Learning and Development Practice)
Demonstrate high level of application of the Specialist Competency Assessment
Demonstrate application of one other Specialist Competencies (Instructional Design, Evaluation, Coaching, On-the-Job Training, eLearning, Facilitation, Informal/Social Learning)

Best Transformation Programme

This award is presented to an organisation, company or individual to recognise success in delivering transformation learning.

Criteria

Relate to a programme of work that includes organisation transformation
Demonstrate an innovative use of resources within project budget
Demonstrate consideration or integration of diversity and inclusion
Demonstrate application of the Core Competencies (Adult Learning Principles and Learning and Development Practice)
Demonstrate considered, actual or planned application of the Specialist Competency Evaluation
Demonstrate application of one other Specialist Competencies (Instructional Design, Assessment, Coaching, On-the-Job Training, eLearning, Facilitation, Informal/Social Learning)

Best Leadership Development Programme

This award is presented to an organisation, company or individual to recognise implementation of a leadership development programme to positively impact organisational performance and culture.

Criteria

Relates to a programme designed to equip leaders with the skills they need to succeed
Demonstrate an innovative use of resources within project budget
Demonstrate consideration or integration of diversity and inclusion
Demonstrate application of the Core Competencies (Adult Learning Principles and Learning and Development Practice)
Demonstrate considered, actual or planned application of the Specialist Competency Evaluation
Demonstrate application of one other Specialist Competencies (Instructional Design, Assessment, Coaching, On-the-Job Training, eLearning, Facilitation, Informal/Social Learning)

Best Skills-based Learning Project

This award is presented to an organisation, company or individual to recognise their contribution to the ongoing development of their employees through skills-based training.

Criteria

Relates to a project designed to provide employees with new or updated skills relevant to their role
Demonstrate an innovative use of resources within project budget
Demonstrate consideration or integration of diversity and inclusion
Demonstrate application of the Core Competencies (Adult Learning Principles and Learning and Development Practice)
Demonstrate considered, actual or planned application of the Specialist Competency Evaluation
Demonstrate application of one other Specialist Competencies (Instructional Design, Assessment, Coaching, On-the-Job Training, eLearning, Facilitation, Informal/Social Learning)

Best Online Learning Project

This award is presented to an organisation, company or individual to recognise innovative, engaging and excellent online learning.

Criteria

Relates to learning delivered solely through an online platform
Demonstrate an innovative use of resources within project budget
Demonstrate consideration or integration of diversity and inclusion
Demonstrate application of the Core Competencies (Adult Learning Principles and Learning and Development Practice)
Demonstrate considered, actual or planned application of the Specialist Competency Evaluation
Demonstrate application of one other Specialist Competencies (Instructional Design, Assessment, Coaching, On-the-Job Training, eLearning, Facilitation, Informal/Social Learning)