Manchester businesswoman Sara Jones, whose Macclesfield-based business Centre of Excellence (CoE) has transformed the skillset of millions of students across the globe, has been recognised for her entrepreneurism. Sara was acknowledged as one of the leading female entrepreneurs in the North West by the Enterprise Vision Awards (EVAs).

The awards, celebrating its tenth anniversary, was created to recognise and honour outstanding female entrepreneurship in the North West. Over 650 guests congregated at the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool Winter Gardens on Friday 22nd September in a welcome return to awards ceremonies. Sara was one of 19 women honoured, winning ‘Internet Industry of the Year’. See the complete list of winners on the EVAs website.

CoE has become one of the most significant global e-learning portals, revolutionising the way people learn. Since 2012 it’s provided online learning across a wide range of unique subjects, building a vast international community of students seeking self-betterment. Courses are available in yoga and mindfulness, herbalism and aromatherapy, cooking and nutrition, alongside numerous other subjects.

During the lockdowns of 2020, CoE became a crucial focal point for millions of learners worldwide, helping people upskill and maintain positive mental health during one of the most significant periods of upheaval in a generation. The company rapidly expanded its international audience and currently sells courses in over 150 countries, with over 2,000,000 monthly users.