London's Roundhouse provided a dramatic venue for the 2006 Edge Employer Awards in November. Among the Award winners this year was the Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers, who were being honoured for their forward looking programme of trade based training and for their plans to allow experienced members to pass on their skills.

Edge is an educational foundation with the aim of raising the status of practical and vocation learning in the UK. The Edge Employer Awards focused on organisations demonstrating outstanding practical and vocational learning opportunities for young people in the workplace. Grants totalling over £ 300,000 were made to the Award winners.

Chairman Caroline Cowlard, Board member Roy Theobald, Chief Executive Mike Spencer and Association Manager, Sue Spencer attended the star studded event to pick up the Award on behalf of the AMUSF. There was also a cheque for £5,000.00 towards the Association's projects.

"Caroline Cowlard said: "This was a very enjoyable event that served to identify yet further opportunities for the Association to expand its training of young people. It was most encouraging to witness the growing support for vocational education from Education Minister Alan Johnson and the Prime Minister, Tony Blair. I had the opportunity to chat with one of the senior judges who happened to be a head master. It was refreshing to learn that he at least had identified some of the problems facing small businesses and the prejudice that prevents some youngsters following vocational routes, instead of inappropriate university education. "

" Immediate Past President Roy Theobald, standing in for President Joan Milton said: "It was a great honour to be part of something as big as the Edge Awards. The venue was outstanding, the food excellent, the entertainment superb and the atmosphere electric. It was wonderful to see the NYJO live with 500 people to dinner and 200 more watching from the balcony in a great historic building. It was very exciting to see so many young people perform and collect awards for outstanding individual learning. One youngster, Alasdair Craig, has just completed his fourth year of a five year apprenticeship with Diamond specialists Cellini Limited; he scooped a £7,000 prize to assist with his further development. This I found most encouraging as it demonstrates there is still a chance for the upholstery industry."

Commenting on the work of the Edge foundation, The Rt. Hon Tony Blair MP said

" In the 21st century we need to raise the aspirations of all young people and help them develop the skills, know-how, enterprise and creativity required for career success. We have to give every young person the opportunity to develop their own particular interests, abilities and talents."

As an educational foundation Edge has a number of current projects in hand for youth training. One of the most exciting of these is the establishment of a hotel - training school. The high quality venue will be a boutique hotel in the heart of London and the trainees will do a real job in a real hotel, with real guests! The Edge Hotel will change the perceptions of hotel training and will provide a leading model of training in the hospitality industry.

Peter Oldfield Murray commented; "The Edge Hotel would present a unique design opportunity involving young architects, young fashion designers for the hotel uniforms as well as fabric and upholstery designers and craftsmen. With the aid of visiting mentors, the Hospitality students would gain exceptional skills; Very much the Edge Wow factor."

The superb National Youth Jazz Orchestra entertained guests at the Roundhouse

The Edge Employer Awards evening was remarkable, not just for the excellence of the cuisine and the high standard of entertainment, but for the fact that these were provided by young trainees from the chefs to the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and the BRIT School of Performing Arts and Technology. 2007 will see the AMUSF move into its new headquarters ready to begin the programme of training which won the prestigious Award, an exciting prospect after a very exciting evening.

Liz Murray.