Celebrations around the UK as Pitman Training is awarded ëSuperbrandí status

Pitman Training has today been named as one of the UKís top 500 consumer brands in the prestigious Sunday Telegraph 2007 Business Superbrands list. With more than 90 centres across the UK, Ireland and Middle East, Pitman Training offers a wide range of IT and secretarial training and is one of the UKís oldest independent training organisations.

Pitman Training is one of only 9 education, training and development organisations to feature in the Business Superbrands list. Within this category, Pitman Training is the only Superbrand which offers flexible learning opportunities to people at all levels - from how to write better business letters to technical computer engineering qualifications.

ëAchieving Superbrand status is a real honour,í said Stan Knights, Managing Director ñ Franchising at Pitman Training. ëMany people have grown up with the Pitman Training brand and still think of it in terms of shorthand and typing. But Pitman Training today offers far, far more ñ from computer skills for the terrified, to diplomas in subjects such as journalism, finance and personnel.í

ëWe are extremely proud of our heritage but even more delighted that we are perceived as a modern brand which our customers can relate to,í continues Mr Knights. ëWe are fortunate to have a network of centres with staff who are committed to delivering the Pitman Training brand vision. Our aim is to helping people develop new skills and gain qualifications which will make a real difference to their lives.í

Thousands of UK consumer brands were nominated by independent researchers for inclusion on the 2007 Superbrands list and of these 1,200 were selected for a shortlist. It was then over to the Superbrands Council, an impartial body of 18 industry specialists including to give each brand a score out of ten.

YouGov, an online research agency, then conducted an online survey of the councilís top 650 brands amongst more than 2,300 consumers. Participants were given the definition of a Superbrand as one that ëhas established the finest reputation in its field and offers consumers emotional and tangible advantages over other brandsí. They voted based on this criteria and the top 500 list of Superbrands emerged.