New chapter for training provider following acquisition
Training provider Performance Through People (PTP) is embarking on its next chapter after being taken over by new ownership.
The skills company, which has provided apprenticeships and learning opportunities to people across the West Midlands since 2014, has been acquired by CEO Rob Colbourne OBE and managing director Carolyn Stokes from the BCTG Group.
Accredited apprenticeship courses, bespoke commercial programmes and a range of government funded schemes are on offer across sectors including healthcare, warehousing and logistics, saddlery and leather skills, finance, retail, and dental nursing.
Based at headquarters in Essex Terrace, Intown in Walsall, the firm employs 78 members of staff across its training centres throughout Birmingham, the Black Country, and Staffordshire.
The training provider offers bespoke learning and development opportunities together with a wide range of apprenticeship programmes including healthcare, warehousing and logistics, saddlery and leather skills, finance, retail, and dental nursing.
Rob Colbourne has worked for Performance Through People since 1994 and has held the role of CEO since 2020. He is joined by Carolyn Stokes who takes up the new role of managing director. Stokes has been with the business since 1995 and has held the position of operations director since 2005.
Joining Colbourne and Stokes on the new look advisory board will be Kevin Davis, chief executive of the Vine Trust and founding director and Chairman of the Mercian Multi Academy Trust, education and skills consultant and former Ofsted Senior HMI Ian Smith, and senior director at Solvendis consultancy Neil Hulme.
Curriculum manager Richard Kendrick, who has been employed by Performance Through People for 20 years, has been appointed quality and curriculum director.
CEO Rob Colbourne said: “The team at Performance Through People have proudly delivered exceptional training and development opportunities to meet the needs of learners and businesses for more than 50 years.
“In my role at PTP I have witnessed the business grow and become a leading name for training in the West Midlands. I’m proud to be at the helm of the business with Carolyn as it embarks on its next chapter.
“Our newly formed board of directors will bring a wealth of experience from education backgrounds, quality assurance and standards and puts us in a strong position as a leadership team for the future.”
Managing director Carolyn Stokes added: “Rob and I have worked together for 29 years and have a great working relationship. We have shared many successes from award wins, successful Ofsted inspections and more recently, achieving Investors in People Gold.
“As the cost-of-living crisis continues, apprenticeships and training will become more important than ever and we look forward to working with businesses across the West Midlands to facilitate good quality, meaningful apprenticeship opportunities.”
