Leading West Midlands training and apprenticeship provider Performance Through People (PTP) supported a visit from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), along with other leading Midland providers, organised by the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP), promoting the vital work apprenticeship providers play in the region.
The visit, which took place on October 23, enabled ESFA CEO David Withey, AELP CEO Ben Rowland and Vikki Sylvester, Chair of the Midlands Provider Network, the opportunity to visit PTP apprentices at Beaucrest Complex in Birmingham to hear how the apprenticeship programme is equipping them with vital skills for work and life. Beaucrest Complex employ a dozen apprentices and Mr Withey and Mr Rowland spoke to apprentices who are working towards several standards such as Lean Manufacturing, Engineering and Management.
PTP work with over 350 employers across the region, delivering over 40 apprenticeship standards in a range of sectors including healthcare, business & professional, warehousing and retail.
During the visit, Mr Rowland facilitated discussions between Mr Withey and many apprentices, employers and stakeholders around the importance of shaping a skilled workforce in the region through the apprenticeship brand.
Association of Employment and Learning Providers Chief Executive Ben Rowland said:
“Independent training providers are central to delivering apprenticeships, so it was great to join the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) to see first-hand the work carried out by Performance Through People with the Beaucrest Complex in Birmingham. Apprentices here are starting to build successful careers, which reinforces just how important the apprenticeship programme is in helping to fill the country’s skills gap, increase productivity and stimulate economic growth.”
Education and Skills Funding Agency Chief Executive David Withey added:
“ITPs are key and valued partners of the Department for Education and ESFA, delivering vital education and skills training through public funding amounting to around £1.5 billion a year. One of the best parts of my job is visiting providers and I’ve really enjoyed visiting Performance through People today, where I’ve been impressed by the fantastic quality of training and apprenticeships on offer to learners and students.”
Vikki Sylvester, Chair of the Midlands Provider Network, said:
“This event has been a fantastic opportunity to unite key stakeholders in the Midlands. The collaboration among all stakeholders is crucial to the success of our apprentices and employers. Visits like these are immensely valuable in fostering such partnerships.”
Performance Through People have driven key regional employment initiatives and since 2014 been a leading partner in the delivery of the Ladder for Black Country apprenticeship initiative, which has expanded to encompass surrounding regions including Greater Birmingham, Coventry and Warwickshire, Shropshire and Staffordshire.
As part of the visit, PTP CEO Rob Colbourne OBE also gave a tour of the Ladder Skills Academy in Birmingham, which opened in 2023 to give school leavers an opportunity to ‘have a go’ at the jobs they are interested in and provide information, advice and guidance to individuals making important decisions regarding their immediate futures.
Performance Through People CEO Rob Colbourne OBE said:
“It was great to be able to showcase some of the fantastic work private providers are facilitating across the region. We are working with some outstanding employers and apprentices and the visit allowed us to highlight how training providers and employers are working together to shape a skilled workforce across the West Midlands.”
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