Published
By Toby Belshaw
Crescent Purchasing Consortium is delighted to confirm it will be funding four CIPS Level 4 qualifications moving forward, supporting the next generation of procurement professionals through access to this diploma course, which provides a key step towards achieving the recognised industry standard in procurement and supply.
Bursary applications were invited from CPC members after the charity passed its 10,000-member landmark in 2024, and, in line with its Giving Back ambitions, CPC opted to mark this milestone by funding three complete CIPS L4 qualification programmes.
Due to the high level of entries, CPC then increased this to allow for a further, fourth bursary recipient, amplifying its vision of being the procurement services partner of choice for UK education and helping this sector to enhance teaching and learning.
The following applicant institutions were successful:
The individuals nominated by the successful institutions will also receive free mentoring from CPC's dedicated Learning and Development Lead, Mark Pearson, who has taken an active role in supporting CPC members and the wider education sector with the new Procurement Act regulations, which came into force in late February.
Mark Pearson commented, “CPC has an embedded philosophy of giving back to education, be it through students or, indeed, professionals in the sector. This ethos is at the heart of our business, and what we do. On behalf of CPC, congratulations to all those successful applicants, I’m looking forward to working with you. We hope in the future that we can open a new round of bursary applications for study in 2026, so watch this space!”
CPC’s bursary support for four education sector professionals coincides with the final administrative stages of the charity’s latest Giving Back funding round, a process that invited applications for grant funding in support of SEND learners, as well as wellbeing initiatives and anti-absenteeism projects around the United Kingdom.