500 jobs set to go as Derby training firm enters administration

Some 500 jobs and 4,500 apprenticeships are at risk after reports claimed that Derby training provider 3aaa has gone into administration.

FE Week says that 3aaa, one of the biggest providers of apprenticeships in the UK, could not find a buyer for its business after putting itself up for sale at the beginning of October and has appointed administrators.

The news comes a month after the co-founders of 3aaa resigned after an Education and Skills Funding Agency investigation (ESFA) investigation into the company following unknown claims by a whistleblower.

Peter Marples and Di McEvoy-Robinson, the company’s chief executive and director respectively, resigned from their posts.

A statement on the company’s website reads: “We apologies for any inconvenience, the company has now entered administration and will no longer be accepting any further business. All the best for all eEmployers, 3aaa apprentices and staff in the future.”

The ESFA said: “In conjunction with recent investigations, we have issued notices to terminate contracts with 3aaa. The notices will bring the contracts to an end in a three month period, in January 2019.

“During the notice period, the suspension on apprenticeship enrolments remains in place. Our investigations will continue until all concerns have been addressed.

“Our priority is to protect the apprentices and to ensure minimum disruption to their learning. We will source high quality alternative provision as quickly as possible and support apprentices and employers to enable them to continue with their apprenticeship programme. We will write to all apprentices and employers to explain the next steps.”

3aaa’s allocation for apprenticeships was at almost £31m by the end of 2017/18, up from £14.5m at the start of the academic year.