NOW AVAILABLE: Top Sales Training Companies Application

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Deadline: December 17, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST (New York)

What are Top Training Companies?

Through extensive research, interactions with companies around the world and a thorough analysis of the capabilities, experience and expertise of hundreds of learning organizations, Training Industry recognizes select companies that offer the best training programs, products and services on our Top Training Companies Lists. 

What are Top 20 Companies?

A Top 20 company is an organization recognized as a leading provider within its training segment, demonstrating excellence, influence and sustained impact in the market. 

These companies generally serve a broad and diverse client base, offering comprehensive and high-quality solutions at scale. Their market presence, depth of expertise and ability to deliver measurable results set them apart as established leaders in the industry. 

Top 20 companies exemplify innovation, consistency and maturity in their offerings, representing some of the most reputable and widely adopted training providers in the global corporate learning landscape. 

What are Watch List Companies?

Some of our categories include a Watch List in which Training Industry identifies promising organizations that demonstrate strong potential for future growth and impact within their training segment.  

This list also highlights organizations offering unique, specialized or highly innovative solutions addressing critical learning needs. 

While Watch List companies may serve a more focused client base or operate on a smaller scale than Top 20 honorees, they exemplify creativity, adaptability and momentum within the industry.  

Eligibility

Who Can Apply: Any organization that provides training products, programs or services to corporate clients. Organizations serving exclusively in the academic market are not eligible. Organizations providing training solutions exclusively internally are not eligible.  

Company Size: Applications are encouraged from providers of all sizes — from global enterprises to mid-sized firms. Smaller or emerging companies may also apply and may be considered for the Watch List. 

Geography: Applications are welcome from companies headquartered anywhere in the world that serve the global business English corporate learning marketplace. 

Multiple Categories: Companies may apply to more than one award category if they meet the requirements for each. A separate application must be submitted for every category. 

Benefits of Being Selected

Being named to a Top 20 or Watch List recognizes your organization as a trusted leader in corporate learning and development (L&D) and connects you with Training Industry’s global audience of L&D professionals. 

Selected companies benefit from: 

• • Feature placement on TrainingIndustry.com, with our lists gaining over 10,000 sessions per month 

• • Inclusion in a press release, social media announcements and email to 255,000+ subscribers 

• • A digital badge to display on websites, proposals and promotional materials 

• • Opportunity to order a physical award trophy 

• • Inclusion in the annual Corporate Training Landscape graphic 

• • Referral opportunities when Training Industry receives RFPs that fit your offerings 

Benefits of Applying

Even if your organization is not selected as a Top 20 or Watch List company, there are meaningful advantages to participating in the application process. 

Submitting an application gives your organization the opportunity to showcase its capabilities, benchmark performance and gain visibility within Training Industry’s extensive network of learning and development professionals. 

Participating companies benefit from:  

• • Corporate Training Landscape Consideration: All applicants are automatically considered for inclusion in the annual Corporate Training Landscape, an annual graphic highlighting leading providers across specialized areas within the L&D marketplace. 

• • Potential Referral Opportunities: Training Industry analysts can recommend your organization when we receive RFPs or buyer inquiries that align with your solutions and offerings. 

• • Benchmarking and Reflection: The application process encourages organizations to evaluate their programs, innovations and market strengths through a structured, research-based lens. 

Awards Process

Training Industry’s review process is designed to ensure fairness, consistency and accuracy across every award category. 

After the application deadline, all submissions are evaluated using Training Industry’s proprietary scoring algorithm, which weights responses based on each category’s specific selection criteria. 

Applications are then reviewed by our internal market research analysts and finalized in collaboration with the Top 20 committee, which validates scoring outcomes and ensures alignment with the program’s standards of excellence. 

Companies are typically notified of their application status within five weeks following the submission deadline. Selected Top 20 and Watch List companies are contacted prior to the public announcement to confirm company information, branding and logos for publication on TrainingIndustry.com. 

2026 Award Categories:

Training Industry honors excellence across a range of specialized segments in the corporate learning and development (L&D) industry: 

Click on a category for more information!

• • Sales Training 
  • Leadership Training
  • Custom Content Development
  • Staffing and Temporary Resources
  • Learning Services
  • AI Coaching and Learner Support Tools
  • AI Content Creation and Authoring Tools
  • Online Learning Library 
  • Experiential Learning Technologies 
  • Learning Management Systems (LMS)
  • IT & Technical Training
  • Assessment & Evaluation 

How to Apply

• Review Our Schedule: Click on the category badges that best fit your organization within the application schedule. Each badge links to its dedicated category page with focus area, criteria and key dates. 

• Mark Your Calendar: Take note of each category’s open, close and release dates to plan your submission timeline. All applications close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (New York) on their deadline dates. 

• Accessing the Awards Portal 

1. 1. Click here to register an account in the Training Industry Awards Portal. 
   2. After registering, sign in to access your account dashboard. 
   3. You’ll then receive an email verification request. You must verify your account before starting a new entry. 
   4. Once verified, navigate to the “My Entries” page and click “Start Entry.” 
   5. Under the “Category” dropdown, select the Top Training Companies list you wish to apply for. 
   6. For “Entry Name,” please list your company name. 
   7. Continue filling out your application by selecting “Save + Next” at the bottom of each page. 
   8. You may Save + Close to return later, Preview, or Submit your entry. 
   9. You can continue editing your application after submission until the posted deadline. 
   10. You can return to this page to log in and edit or view your entry. 
   11. To apply for additional categories, start a new entry during that category’s open window. 

Returning applicants can use their existing login credentials from previous award cycles.  

• Submitting Your Entry: Select your category from the dropdown, complete all required fields and upload any supporting materials. 

Applicants are encouraged to include case studies, client outcomes or product documentation to strengthen their submission. Ensure all information is accurate, up-to-date and clearly labeled. 

For questions, please email top20@trainingindustry.com. 

Data Privacy and Confidentiality

We take applicant data privacy seriously. 

All sensitive data including financial details, client information and supporting materials is securely stored and accessible only to the Training Industry Top 20 Selection Committee. We never share or disclose applicant information publicly or with third parties. 

Financial and proprietary information are used solely for evaluation purposes and are never published. Providing accurate and complete data helps our analysts fairly and consistently evaluate your submission. 

While inclusion of financial details is optional, including them enables a more complete assessment of your organization’s scale, growth and impact within the market. 

All information submitted through the application is used exclusively for internal evaluation, benchmarking and research and is never shared outside of the review process. 

Our goal is to ensure every applicant can participate with confidence, knowing their information is handled responsibly and securely. 

Selection Criteria

Applications are evaluated using Training Industry’s proprietary scoring model. Each category emphasizes slightly different capabilities, but in general, applicants are assessed on: 

• Scope and Quality of Offerings: Breadth and depth of programs, product quality and ability to meet diverse learning needs. 

• Market Presence, Brand Visibility, Innovation and Impact: Recognition in the marketplace, evidence of innovation and measurable influence on clients and the broader industry. 

• Strength of Client Portfolio and Customer Relationships: Range and scale of clients served, quality of partnerships and proven client outcomes. 

• Business Performance and Growth Trajectory: Financial health, growth rate and organizational stability 

Application Timeline

• Application Window: Refer to the application schedule for category-specific open and close dates.  

• Review Period: Approximately five weeks following the application deadline. 

• Notification: Applicants are notified by email of results prior to the public announcement. 

• Public Announcement: Official results are published on TrainingIndustry.com and shared via press release, social media and email on the scheduled release date. 

Have More Questions?

For more details about eligibility, submission logistics or how applications are evaluated, visit our Top 20 Awards FAQ page. 

Contact

For general inquiries or other questions about the Top Training Companies program or application process, please contact the Training Industry Top 20 Committee at top20@trainingindustry.com