Hundreds of jobs to go as training provider axes two firms

Three hundred jobs are to be axed after the UK’s largest college group announced it is closing two private training providers.

Staff at Manchester based Rathbone Training and at Intraining – which are part of NCG – were told about the closures yesterday.

The two businesses currently train 4,500 students each year – of which two-thirds are apprentices.

Staff cuts had already been made but now NCG has taken the decision to axe both operations.

A statement on the decision was issued by NCG yesterday.

It said: “We have today opened consultation with our staff on fundamental changes to the way in which we operate in England, including the closure of our network of training centres and a radical refocusing of our apprenticeship proposition.

“If we proceed as currently proposed following consultation, we will in future operate a single, smaller, digitally-enabled business focussed on delivery of high-quality apprenticeships for the tech, management and professional occupations.

“That future operation will be closely aligned with the group’s overall mission and values – working closely with NCG colleges to enrich its proposition and generate bottom-line benefits for clients and learners.

“Intraining and Rathbone accounted for less than 20% of group revenue in 2017/18.  The changes we are proposing will strengthen NCG’s already robust position, supporting our ambition to invest in teaching, learning and facilities.

“The unfortunate effect of these proposals would be substantial redundancies in Intraining and Rathbone.  We will confirm our future plans once the consultation has concluded.

“In moving forward, we will put the interests of learners first and support them to finish their programmes wherever possible.”

NCG currently employs over 400 people across 19 centres, and 300 jobs are now at risk.

The training provider has struggled in recent years with achievement rates across the group falling below the national average in 2016/17.

NCG’s principal Joe Docherty decided to step down in October.