Sunderland training company wins college contract

JB Skills Training will be delivering a wide range of programmes to hundreds of learners of all ages, with a particular focus on study programmes that focus on helping students move up to the next level of education and preparing them for apprenticeship opportunities.

The arrangement will also see at least 40 jobs created for 16 to 18-year-olds across an array of industries, as each candidate will be guaranteed full-time employment with the employer where they do their work-based study.

JB Skills Training delivers programmes across the UK and in Europe, and is already working on identifying candidates and companies for the programme.

Operations director Chris Nicholl said: “New College Swindon is exactly the kind of partner we are striving to work with.

“Their approach is open and fresh and they are looking to the long term.

“We are looking forward to fulfilling the immediate positions and working together in the future to benefit the partnership, clients and learners.”

New College Swindon opened 32 years ago as a sixth form college and has developed into an education provider for full and part-time courses for anyone over the age of 14.

The college now has more than 3,000 students aged 14 to 18 and more than 7,000 adult and business learners.

Principal Graham Taylor said: “We were looking for a partner to assist with growing the work-based study programmes, the apprenticeship scheme and developing the Advanced Learner Loan take-up as well.

“We were looking for a flexible partner to be in a long-term relationship and JB Skills Training ticked all the boxes.

“They know their stuff, are successful and have the desired ethics – through our meetings it became obvious that they were a natural choice and I am delighted to be making this announcement.

“The fact that they have a HQ in another city means very little these days – their team is on the ground where I need them to be, and I am confident it will be a fruitful partnering.”