Staffs social enterprise trebles apprenticeships

A Staffordshire social enterprise is set to treble the number of apprenticeships it delivers after benefiting from the coalition government’s commitment to on-the-job training.

PM Training has been awarded an additional £250,000 from the Skills Funding Agency, taking its total budget from that agency to £575,000 and allowing it to provide 150 apprenticeships in Stoke-on-Trent every year – growing from 54 every year.

Regional apprenticeships director for the Skills Funding Agency Stephen Lilley said: ‘Even though the emergency budget earlier this year cut £6.2bn from public spending, some of that money was re-invested in key areas, such as apprenticeships.

‘This demonstrates an on-going government commitment to apprenticeships as the preferred route for a skilled workforce.’

PM Training CEO Will Nixon said there were two elements to this boost.

‘One is the government investing in more apprenticeships and the other aspect is PM’s performance – we’ve gone from working with 69 partners to 300 that help us provide apprenticeships.’

PM Training was a private company that was bought by Aspire Housing and turned into a social enterprise in 2008. It currently employs 67 apprentices across the Aspire group – about 12.5 per cent of the group’s workforce – as well as providing apprenticeships in public and private sector companies in areas including IT, marketing and housing administration.

PM Training also took on young people as part of the previous government’s £1bn six-month placement scheme, the Future Jobs Fund (FJF). The FJF was cut by the coalition government at the same time as ministers announced they would invest £150m-£320m in 50,000 new apprenticeships.

‘We delivered the FJF and saw positive outcomes but ultimately it’s a six month placement, when you look at life changing opportunities the qualifications that come with apprenticeships produce better outcomes,’ said Nixon.