Birmingham Metropolitan College to acquire BXL

BIRMINGHAM Metropolitan College has provided a lifeline for locally-based education business partnership BXL Services.

It was announced in February that administrators had failed to find a buyer for BXL – which offered young people in Birmingham and Solihull vital work experience. The organisation had gone into administration in January.

But now Birmingham Metropolitan has pledged to continue many of BXL’s current services to schools and businesses.  The college have been working closely with BXL’s administrators PwC. 

The Partnership Centres at Jaguar Land Rover, Solihull and Castle Bromwich will continue to operate for schools and colleges interested in bringing groups of pupils to tour the car plant and see manufacturing processes first hand.  Birmingham Metropolitan College also plan to continue some of the work experience programmes and other schools-related activities. 

Dr Julie Nugent, the executive director who is managing the BXL project, said: “We are aware that a number of schools have paid for contracts which, unfortunately, BXL was unable to deliver. We are actively pursuing what support we can give to schools in those circumstances, and are contacting those whom we know to be affected.

“We are keen to build on the success of BXL by developing an exciting offer of work-related experiences for young people and schools. To this end, we would welcome the opportunity to develop future opportunities and services with businesses and schools.”