May Apprentice of the Month
Dimi Panagiotopoulos
We are pleased to announce that the winner of the LDN Apprentice of the Month for April is Dimi Panagiotopoulos @ The Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply.
Nominated by Skills Coach Nicola, Dimi is now coming towards the end of his apprenticeship and has shown incredible perseverance and a strong mindset throughout his time on the programme. These qualities have enabled him to lead discussions, support and teach colleagues new skills in AI.
Check out all the awesome nominations we received in May, as well as Dimi’s winning nomination below.
Dimi’s Skills Coach:
Dimi has been a ray of sunshine throughout his apprenticeship. He has overcome floods, relocations and reorganisations. His spectacular approach to organisation meant he has not just kept on track but also managed to draft and submit his portfolio pieces ahead of time. He has led discussions during live sessions and development days, helping apprentices with less experience to contribute their ideas. He has led key projects for CIPS, including two AI skills courses that are currently tracking at an NPS score of 46 and customer satisfaction of 92%. He manages external expert stakeholders, producing highly interactive activities even in compressed timelines
Dimi’s Line Manager:
How have they improved/impacted the business and the team since they started their apprenticeship?
Dimi has made a powerful impact at CIPS, driving innovation and excellence across learning products. He led two AI skills courses, achieving 92% satisfaction and raising the Skills Portfolio NPS from 41 to 55. His 90 custom-built academy games boosted learner engagement from 58% to 76% across 1,600+ users. Dimi improved quality by creating a QA checklist now used team-wide and championed accessible, learner-first design. He shared his expertise through peer training on frameworks like Bloom’s Taxonomy and helped transform LMS structure and onboarding. Through change and challenge, Dimi has delivered above his level—collaborative, creative, and always results-driven.
What three words best describe them?
When asked to describe Dimi in three words, I’d say:
Innovative – Dimi brings deep learning science knowledge and curiosity to every task.
Resilient – When displaced by a flood and during company-wide restructures, Dimi met all deadlines with grace, led projects solo, and supported his team through instability.
Empowering – From leading workshops to mentoring other apprentices, Dimi generously shares insights, helps others build skills, and strengthens team culture through collaboration and kindness, always with a smile.
An example of an outstanding piece of work, project or task they have worked on.
Dimi’s standout achievement was leading the end-to-end development of two AI Skills Courses—his first solo-led project. He successfully managed senior stakeholders, aligned design to industry standards, and collaborated cross-functionally to deliver outstanding results: 92% learner satisfaction and an NPS of 46. His bespoke QA framework, pedagogical insight, and storyboarding rigour set a new internal benchmark now adopted by peers. Stakeholders praised his professionalism, attitude, and outcomes. Beyond learner impact, Dimi’s work elevated CIPS’ strategic credibility, enhancing member value, enabling new marketing opportunities, and shaping a future-ready learning offer aligned to organisational goals.
Here’s what was said about the other brilliant nominees:
Maria Hill @ Havering Council
Maria is A M A Z I N G! She is incredibly busy, has a lot of people relying on her, yet still manages to complete her work to an exceptionally high standard. It is really difficult to find any fault in anything she delivers. Maria is dedicated to doing what’s right for the local community she serves and it’s evident in the work she has shared with me for the apprenticeship. Maria does not settle for mediocrity - she is always striving for excellence and the best possible outcomes. Maria’s reach is varied, whether it’s supporting the decarbonisation of council-owned buildings or ensuring that residents in her area feel heard - she is inspirational. It is a pleasure to work with Maria.
Mia Dempsey @ James & James Fulfilment Ltd
Since starting her apprenticeship, Mia has efficiently managed her training plan and evidence pieces, despite her busy role. In her early 20s, she has sustainability at heart and brings supportive leadership to her LDC ESG Academy peers, inspiring innovative thinking. Mia remains resilient and maintains a positive, 'can do' attitude. She is highly independent but knows when to seek support, demonstrating wisdom beyond her years. Mia excels in ESG perspectives and proactive networking. Her leadership was evident when she coordinated a team project, guiding teams through complex tasks. Mia's commitment, intelligence, and resilience make her the perfect candidate for Apprentice of the Month.
Gemma Makin @ Suffolk County Council
Gemma has consistently met every deadline since the start of her apprenticeship, delivering high-quality work that often exceeds expectations. Her portfolio pieces, shaped by a perfectionist eye for detail, require minimal revision and have been shared as examples of best practice with other apprentices. One standout project—a questionnaire to improve feedback and evaluation—has been adopted within her organisation and wouldn’t have existed without her initiative on the programme. All of this has been achieved while navigating emotionally demanding personal challenges, showing remarkable focus, resilience, and a strong commitment to professional growth.
Dawn Colfer @ Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Dawn is an inspiration for other apprentices and is constantly striving to improve the digital learning within her department. It’s been no easy feat - but since Dawn started her apprenticeship, she’s been compelled to completely overhaul an induction process that previously was disconnected and resulted in poor competence for new starters. Dawn’s new process, however, onboards new employees seamlessly and successfully helping improve retention, employee satisfaction and importantly, employee competence, where scrupulous decision making is of paramount importance. Dawn’s hard work and dedication came into full fruition when she was asked to present at a professional conference and share the impact of digital learning on decontamination and sterilisation.
Mahfuza Amin @ TPX Impact Limited
Mahfuza has been truly inspirational from day one of the course, with a very mature head on her young shoulders. She leads from the front with her peers by consistently achieving/surpassing her targets, which has culminated in her obtaining a promotion to her role as Social Value delivery manager. She works confidently with senior leaders in the organisation, as well as managing projects and rising up to challenges such as organising the highly successful Future Leaders Showcase event, which I was fortunate to attend in person. All of this has helped her massively grow her confidence and networking skills.
Charmaine Cabugao-Wong @ Pearson
Charmaine has taken on the apprenticeship to help her switch industries. She has worked tirelessly in her role at Pearson, joining the business at an extremely busy time, and picking up processes and systems just as quickly as she could, becoming an immediate help and core member for the team. She is very hard-working and curious about her apprenticeship work, taking every opportunity to train up and find out more about her new career, impressing us all along the way. She asks good questions and has a steely resolve to do her best despite many competing demands on her time.