APM Volunteer Achievement Awards – past winners on why you should enter in 2026

The Association for Project Management (APM) Volunteer Achievement Awards have returned for 2026 to celebrate the amazing contributions that volunteers make to the project profession.

The Awards recognise individual and collective success. With this year’s Volunteer Achievement Awards fast approaching, now is the perfect time to put forward your nominations.

We spoke with two former winners about the importance of these awards: Philip Isgar, a member of the APM North West Regional Network Volunteer Committee and founding member of the APM Nuclear Sector Interest Network; and Precious Nwagboso, Senior Project Controls Engineer at Turner & Townsend.

Philip Isgar (pictured left with former APM Board Trustee Sheilina Somani) and Precious Nwagboso (pictured right)

 

What do you gain personally and professionally from volunteering?

Philip: “The main things I do at the moment are mentoring to help people on their career paths, be they young people or older people looking to change careers. I also volunteer in many ways and work with APM across professions to raise the profile and enable joined up thinking with other professional bodies.”

Precious: “Volunteering gives me perspective. In my day-to-day role, I work within structured programmes and governance environments, but through volunteering I see the profession through the lens of students, early-career professionals, and those transitioning into project management. That keeps me grounded in why our work matters.

“Personally, I have always been driven by supporting both people and systems. It’s deeply fulfilling to see someone progress because of guidance or structure you helped provide, and equally meaningful to contribute to the frameworks that make that progression more accessible. Volunteering enables me to contribute not only to individual growth, but also to the continued credibility and inclusivity of project management as a discipline.”

How would you describe the difference that APM’s volunteer community makes to the project profession?

Philip: “The APM volunteer community is expanding well in many ways. The importance of project management in many walks of life brings true visibility and responsibility to the foreground.

Precious: “The volunteer community within the Association for Project Management is the human face of the profession. When I was a postgraduate student, building on my experience within project environments, it was volunteers who made the wider professional landscape feel tangible rather than abstract. They shared honest career journeys, created spaces where questions felt welcome, and demonstrated what progression and professional recognition could look like in practice.”

In your opinion, why should people nominate themselves or a colleague for an APM Volunteer Achievement Award

Philip: “People need to know and be aware of what people do to support the profession. They need to know who to ask for advice and guidance. Introductions to many volunteer groups is very important and also not just talking but listening closely to what people say and share with you.”

Precious: “Volunteers often underestimate the ripple effect of what they do. A conversation after an event, a piece of feedback on a student submission, a mentoring session; these moments feel small, but they compound over time. I have seen individuals gain confidence, secure roles, and step into leadership because someone invested in them through volunteering. Nominating yourself or a colleague is not about self-promotion; it’s about recognising that impact. It encourages reflection on contribution and gives visibility to the diverse ways people strengthen the profession; whether through education, regional or interest networks, mentoring, or behind-the-scenes coordination.”

Click here for full details of the Awards and to submit a nomination. Nominations are open until 5 April 2026.

Award categories at this year’s APM Volunteer Achievement Awards are:

• Volunteer Event of the Year
• Regional Network of the Year
• Interest Network of the Year
• Education Volunteer of the Year
• Volunteer of the Year
• Special Achievement of the Year

Nominations should be a summary of the nominee’s achievements and should be no longer than 500 words per criterion response. Self-nominations are accepted.

All categories should include activity undertaken between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026 inclusive, except for APM Special Achievement of the Year, which should include nominations over an extended period, with a minimum of eight years.