Birmingham training company secures £1.4m apprenticeship contract
A BIRMINGHAM training provider has secured a £1.4m contract to provide hundreds of apprenticeship places in Birmingham and Solihull.
GB Training said the one-year contract with the Skills Funding Agency was one of the largest single contracts it had secured in recent years.
The contract is reward for GB Training’s successful performance over 2012-2013, which saw greater demand for apprenticeships in the health and social care sector.
The well-established family-run training firm will provide apprenticeship places in health and social care, hospitality, IT and vehicle mechanics for up to 500 apprentices aged 16-24.
GB Training, based in Bromsgrove Street, already has around 200 apprentices registered with it at businesses across Birmingham and the West Midlands.
Lawrence Barton, GB Training director, said: “Our contract last year was good and allowed us to grow. This year we are very pleased with the SFA agreement. It will help us meet the demand for health and social care training which is dominating our recruitment at the moment with almost half of our learners taking Level 2 and 3 in this sector. We are noticing that more and more apprentices are using this qualification an ideal step towards gaining a degree in nursing.
“We are also aware of a greater demand from employers. Apprenticeships have gained a lot of momentum with both young people and employers realising there is a lot to be gained from them.”
Currently GB Training works alongside organisations including the Radisson Blu hotel chain, Ramada Hotels, East End Foods, Heartlands Hospital and Pertemps.
