Top 30 Under 30: Nominate top young business talent in Leeds and West Yorkshire

NOMINATIONS: Get your nominations in now – the deadline is Friday, January 19, 2004 via the website at www.top30under30.co.uk

A highly successful scheme, to recognise, highlight and develop the region’s brightest professionals, Top 30 Under 30 has already honoured 180 promising young people since its inception six years ago in Hull and the Humber.

It has supported many into managing director and director roles.

Now it has been expanded to Leeds and West Yorkshire.

The scheme will offers winners a unique 12-month experience for 2024, beginning with a photo shoot and interview followed by a launch covered by the Yorkshire Post.

It will culminate in a Celebration Event, an awards like no other offered in the region.

The Top 30 also gain a place on the prestigious LEAP Programme, which provides 30 hours of expert leadership training to help harness talent and help young professionals grow into highly valuable leaders within their business.

The scheme has a track record of delivering results for those who are selected, with six previous winners becoming Managing Directors, 17 in director level positions, and over 60 new managers created in the past six years.

Simon Jones, who founded the scheme, said: “I am thrilled to be able to expand this project to the Leeds and West Yorkshire region.

"Over the past six years, we have directly contributed to higher performance for 180 young people. With terms like ‘life-changing’ being used by previous winners, it feels only right to expand what we are doing and offer that opportunity to more young people in the Yorkshire region.

“Young people often find themselves thrust into managerial and leadership positions without the requisite support, network of peers, and awareness to be effective.

"We provide our winners with that infrastructure they need to take those steps successfully, and organisations involved get a more effective and engaged employee in the process”.

The scheme not only gives the winners the confidence boost and skills they need, it produces inspirational career stories for the next generation of talent coming through the region.

Simon explained: “We need to provide the next generation with greater visibility on what’s available locally to them - the companies, the types of careers - and give them the confidence that they can live, work, and succeed in the West Yorkshire region.

"With other regions such as London or Manchester trying to attract local talent to them, we need to do more to ensure that talent remains in the West Yorkshire region”.

“The scheme provides a yearly, evidence-based narrative, and should be representative of all business types, job opportunities and backgrounds. A winner representing a particular pathway, with a particular background can provide the visibility and inspiration that another young person needs”.