Hubballi-born Tech Consultant Honoured with UK's Prestigious 'Oscars of Tech'
In a moment of immense pride for India, Vivek Thontadarya, a technology and management consultant originally from Hubballi and now based in London, has been honoured with the prestigious National Award for Project Excellence. This award is widely regarded as the ‘Oscars of Tech’ in the UK's northeast region, celebrating outstanding achievements in technology and digital innovation.
Your Apprenticeship: The Award-Winning Initiative
Thontadarya's groundbreaking initiative, named Your Apprenticeship, was the project that clinched the Project Excellence Award 2025. As the senior delivery manager and project management consultant, Vivek was instrumental in steering the project from its very first discovery phase all the way through to its live rollout and subsequent benefits evaluation.
In an exclusive conversation with TOI, he elaborated on the project's complexity. He explained that it required coordinating a vast ecosystem that included the UK government's department for education policy and product teams, alongside four major IT vendors: Scrumconnect Consulting, Talent International, and Fujitsu UK.
A Transformative Platform for UK's Youth
The result of this extensive collaboration is a powerful digital tool that is now the official UK government platform. "The app is now the official UK govt digital platform that streamlines how young people search for, apply to and manage apprenticeships, as well as how employers post vacancies and recruit talent," Vivek stated.
The impact of this service is already being felt across the nation. With a staggering more than 850,000 active apprentices across the UK, the platform supports thousands of young people and employers every single week. "This award signifies that an independent panel of industry experts has recognised it as one of the finest digital transformation projects delivered anywhere in the UK this year," he proudly added.
From Karnataka to Global Tech Recognition
Vivek's journey to this international accolade began with a strong academic foundation in India. He is a BE graduate from Mysuru. His quest for knowledge didn't stop there; he further bolstered his expertise with additional qualifications, including a PGDOM from IGNOU, a PGCERT from York, and an MBA from Reading.
Today, he holds the position of managing director at Tech VAT Ltd in London. His story is a powerful testament to how Indian talent is driving world-class digital innovation and being recognised on a global stage for its excellence.
