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The Progress Group

Employee appointment  ·  Grey Matter Learning  ·  The Progress Group
Grey Matter Learning appoint new Managing Director

Grey Matter Learning, a leading social care training provider, has recently appointed Phil Hitchcox as its new Managing Director. The appointment will see Phil lead the organisation’s strategic development.

Phil, who joined the business in 2022, has ambitions to make Grey Matter Learning (GML) the social care training provider of choice across the UK. Before this role, Phil spent some time working for one of the largest social care companies, CareTech Group, where he supported attracting and developing a 12,000 strong workforce in over 600 care settings.

Phil joins the business with a wealth of experience across the education sector, with almost 13 years’ experience under his belt. During this time, his varying roles mostly centred around supporting employers to develop their workforces through work-based learning and apprenticeships.

In the early stages of his career, Phil spent some time working for the Education & Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), where he helped large employers to implement and develop apprenticeship programmes to develop the skills of their people.

Talking about his appointment, Phil said;

“I am thrilled to be joining GML at such a pivotal moment for the business. GML offers the social care industry something truly unique, inspiring and impactful. The learning that they provide makes a real difference in the industry.

“My ambition is to help more care organisations benefit from the learning GML can offer – as well as enhance the experience and value we offer existing customers.”

Phil went on to discuss how he also plans to develop the current learning programmes further and explore how those programmes can be delivered. Currently, GML’s course delivery is prominently online, with some face-to-face courses available.

“GML immediately stood out as an impressive and purposeful business, that makes a difference in people’s lives every day. Above all else, it has a really strong team of people who not only understand social care and what our customers want, they are passionate about the care industry and making a real difference.” Phil said.

Speaking on Phil’s appointment, The Progress Group CEO, Jayne Worthington said;

“As a Group, we are committed to fostering a leadership team that can deliver on our vision and mission statement to change lives through the power of education and training. Phil’s experience coupled with his passion for championing change makes him the perfect fit for our business.

“Since GML joined the Group 12-months ago, we have seen some transformative changes across the business, as we bolstered operations to support even more care providers with their training needs.

“The social care sector landscape is rapidly changing as providers begin to navigate a new normal in a post-COVID-19 world. But the importance of education and training for social care professionals remains unchanged. Phil’s appointment will see GML drive forward and support even more providers to deliver high-quality, effective training to their care staff.”

Grey Matter Learning is part of a larger group of training and education specialists – The Progress Group. Throughout the UK, The Progress Group’s subsidiaries use high-quality training and education opportunities to drive forward social mobility. Across the group, services are available to individuals aged 11 to 60.

The Progress Group welcomes new Financial Controller
The Progress Group
Complete Skills Solutions appoints Terry Collier and Kate Carling to two new director positions

Adult Education Training provider Complete Skills Solutions have appointed Terry Collier as Operations Director and Kate Carling as Quality Director.

Terry has worked for the last 18 years in the Further Education sector, with an impressive 12 years in leadership roles. Terry started his career in Further Education at Hopwood Hall College where he secured a position as Electrical Installation Lecturer, moving on to management and directorate roles. He left to join the Growth Company in 2017 where he managed several funding streams including study programmes for adults, apprenticeships and commercial training. After a short stint with B2W group, he joined Complete Skills Solutions in the capacity of Operations Director.

Talking of his experience, Terry said:
“I am emotionally connected to supporting the Workforce Development Division in providing a dependable, flexible offer to achieve our purpose of changing lives through the power of education.”

After working at a senior management level in a range of Independent Training Providers in both quality and operational roles, Kate joins the Workforce Development Division of The Progress Group as Quality Director.

 

Kate brings over 20 years of experience as a Qualified Assessor, Lead Internal Verifier, External Verifier, and within the management of operations and the quality of provision. Kate has extensive experience in developing and managing multiple sector delivery including study programmes, traineeships, apprenticeships, and adult education.

Kate is committed to providing workforce development solutions that support local and national skills priorities which lead to positive outcomes.

Speaking of her appointment, Kate said:
“I am passionate about providing individuals with alternative routes into education and employment by creating high-quality sector-specific training pathways that provide both career and education progression opportunities.”

Ian Green, Managing Director of the Workforce Development Division within The Progress Group said: “I am so pleased to welcome Terry and Kate into our business. Both have a huge amount of experience in the education sector and have a proven track record of success in their previous posts. I know both Kate and Terry will have a positive impact within the business which will ultimately impact positively on all our learners. I am excited to see this and to see how they both integrate across the business.”

The Progress Group
Social Impact Report: The Progress Group generated £21.4m of Social Value
Download The Social Value Report


The Progress Group, the education and training specialist driving forward social mobility, has generated £21,481,700 of social value in two years.

The Group commissioned consultancy The Connectives to complete a full impact analysis of operations and activities during 2019-2021, in order to identify the value the Group is delivering to society as a whole.

The findings show the Progress Group’s subsidiaries – Progress Schools, Progress Careers, Innovative Alliance, Complete Training Solutions and Prepare to Achieve – have collectively produced more than £20m of social value during a time characterised by the global Covid-19 pandemic.

Social value is the full net value an organisation provides to society, including how it supports the local economy, how it can provide other benefits and present opportunities for disadvantaged groups.

The Progress Group’s mission is to leave societies and communities in a better situation than when they found them and for every £1 The Progress Group has invested into the delivery of services, £1.44 of social value has been generated during 2019-2021.

The Social Audit Network process of social accounting was undertaken as a method of social impact assessment and qualitative and quantitative data collection process was carried out in order to assess whether the Group and its subsidiaries have had an impact on the lives of learners, customers and staff.

Such data was gathered from 1-2-1 interviews, case studies and subsidiary performance reports. The report also utilises Social Return on Investment methodology introducing financial proxies to enumerate the social value derived from the subsidiaries’ activity.

Despite the global pandemic, The Progress Group has still managed to make huge positive social and economic impact through the provision of a range of education and employment interventions.

The Progress Group has supported cost savings to the public purse and value for money by reducing the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training and progressing them into one of these opportunities.

Young people who were previously not attending mainstream schooling to complete their formal education have also been aided while the Progress Group has also helped people access training and qualifications to secure employment in emerging ‘Green’ industries.

Jayne Worthington, CEO of the Progress Group said, “The social value generated and the Progress Group’s impact on society means students have been able to complete their formal education and move to the next stage of their life with renewed confidence.

“They have felt valued and respected by their schools as importantly their unique contributions have been recognised and appreciated, building self-confidence and resilience to be citizens of the future.”

The Group has generated £11,300,016 of savings to the public purse through the delivery of its activities, ensuring it is a net contributor to the local economy – providing jobs, developing the local workforce and creating learning environments in which young people are valued and can thrive.

Worthington added, “The Group has also grown a workforce of technical specialists, qualified to meet the needs of local, national and international employers, increased general skill levels and employability in the Liverpool City Region (LCR). population, directly addressing local skills gaps in the workforce and also increased local wealth as a result of increased employment, and consequent local spend positively contributing to the economy of the LCR.”


Download The Social Value Report
The Progress Group
US Board of Directors Visit: Marvin Smith

Complete Training Solutions Leadership Team with Marvin Smith

 

This week, The Progress Group has been joined by the company’s Non-Executive Director, Marvin Smith Jr, CPA.

 

Marvin flew over from the US this weekend where he spent time getting to know the city of Liverpool, home of The Progress Group HQ. To add to the traditional British experience and enable Marvin an authentic taster of the UK, he was joined by members of the Progress team to watch the highly anticipated Liverpool vs Manchester United game at Old Trafford Stadium on Sunday.

 

Throughout this week, Marvin has had the chance to meet with staff from TPG to discuss the different areas of the business in which they work. As the group has ownership of 6 businesses; Progress Schools, Progress Careers, Complete Training Solutions, Innovative Alliance, Grey Matter Learning and Prepare to Achieve, there has certainly been a large ground to cover.

 

Marvin was also present for Progress Education’s event at the Houses of Parliament this week, a huge occasion that aimed to address to lack of regulation in alternative provision schools across the country.

 

Ian Green, MD of the Workforce Development Division of TPG said: “It has been a pleasure to meet with Marvin this week and allow him to witness first hand all of the great work that takes place within my area of The Progress Group. The company is going through a very exciting period, full of growth and development and I am very keen to showcase this to one of our directors.

 

“I wanted to provide Marvin an opportunity to see our amazing facilities and also to meet some of the Managers from within my team. Collectively we are all very passionate about the businesses and I know this came through in the meetings we held with Marvin.”

 

Marvin brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to TPG. As a certified public accountant, he is employed by Noble Consulting as a Vice President. Alongside this, Marvin is also a board member and Treasurer of a non-profit organization that aims to support underprivileged women afford cancer treatment.

 

On behalf of all of the staff at TPG, we wish Marvin a warm welcome to the UK.

The Progress Group (TPG), has announced The Standing Tall Foundation as its nominated charity of the year.
CareersInc  ·  Charitable Giving  ·  Complete Training Solutions  ·  Corporate Social Responsibility  ·  Giving back  ·  Grey Matter Learning  ·  Innovative Alliance  ·  Prepare to Achieve  ·  Progress Schools  ·  The Progress Group
The Progress Group names The Standing Tall Foundation as its charity of the year

Leading education and training specialists, The Progress Group (TPG), has announced The Standing Tall Foundation as its nominated charity of the year. The news will see the two organisations bring together their combined knowledge to work simultaneously to drive forward social mobility across the UK.

It is no surprise that the Foundation was named TPG’s charity of the year. Both organisations work to provide education, training and support to individuals of all ages, helping them to secure positive outcomes whilst having a long-term impact on their lives.

The Standing Tall Foundation was founded in 2020, with a clear aim of supporting the health and wellbeing of individuals of all ages and backgrounds by giving them to access things such as educational programmes, mental health services, and drug and alcohol abuse rehabilitation support. The Foundation also works closely with ex-military personnel, supporting them to reintegrate back in to communities after serving in the armed forces.

The partnership has already got off to a storming success, with Complete Training Solution’s recently offering a number of sponsored placements for ex-military on one of their newest courses, Basic Safety Training, helping them to re-skill in order to peruse an alternative career after leaving the military.

Speaking on the partnership, The Progress Group’s CEO, Jayne Worthington, said;

‘’I am thrilled that The Standing Tall Foundation was voted as our charity of the year! At The Progress Group, we are committed to delivering on our promise to drive forward social mobility and provide individuals with a high-quality training and education, a mission shared by the Foundation.’

‘’We are always looking for new ways to build strong partnerships in the communities where we operate, just like the Foundation. Our shared values and commitment to raising aspirations and helping individuals to overcome barriers will undoubtedly help us have a positive impact on the lives of countless individuals over the coming year and beyond.’

‘’I am looking forward to working closely with the Foundation in the coming months to see how we can support each other and achieve our mission together.’’

John Tabern, CEO of The Standing Tall Foundation said:

“To use, forging long-term relationships with organisations such as The Progress Group are priceless, as for us to be able to achieve our vision, we need to work collaboratively with like minded organisations to share best practice and help connect our users to the services and support the need, either directly via the Foundation or via third parties.

“That’s one reason why we are so excited to be name as The Progress Group’s charity of the year, as their approach to this partnership goes beyond fundraising or donations to also include opportunities to share knowledge, skills and connections, for the benefits of our users and you can’t put a price on that.”

The Progress Group is a group of specialist education and training providers, supporting individuals from the age of 11 to 65. Made up of two divisions, the Group subsidiaries serve a wealth of industries from Renewable Energy to Health and Social Care to Alternative Education. As a collective, the Group has supported thousands of individuals to access high-quality and effective education and training that has helped them progress into positive destinations.

Complete Training Solutions launch waterside safety course
Business Growth  ·  Complete Training Solutions  ·  The Progress Group
Complete Training Solutions launch Waterside Safety Awareness Course that could help save lives
Alternative Education  ·  Business Growth  ·  Progress Schools  ·  The Progress Group
Progress Schools opens doors to a brand-new school in Wolverhampton
Progress Schools opens in Gorton, Manchester
Alternative Education  ·  Business Growth  ·  Progress Schools  ·  The Progress Group
Progress Schools opens doors to brand new school in Gorton
The Progress Group welcomes new Financial Controller
Adult Education  ·  Innovative Alliance  ·  The Progress Group
Innovative Alliance appoint Simon Conington as Board Chair

The Progress Group has helped 8 young people secure employment across the Group through the Government’s Kickstart Scheme. The scheme provides funding to employers to help create jobs for people aged 16 – 24, who access Universal Credit and are at risk of long-term unemployment.

Through a group-wide initiative, the education and training specialists set a goal of helping young people access employment through the scheme. They enlisted the help of Liverpool-based marketing agency, Jayne Moore Media who advertised 8 vacancies across the group with Job Centre Plus (JCP). Work coaches at the JCP then signposted learners onto industry-led training provided by one of The Progress Group’s subsidiaries, Innovative Alliance (IA).

Initially, learners attended an attraction day before completing a two-week customer service training course with one of IA’s expert trainers. During the second week of the industry-led training, learners were offered the opportunity to interview for one of the roles available across the Group.

Through industry-specific training, Innovative Alliance work in partnership with employers and the JCP to identify individuals who best meet the needs of employers. IA handles all the pre-employment training and helps prepare learners for their interview at the end of the course. Innovative Alliance CEO, Ian Green said;

‘’Our industry-led training programmes allow us to provide effective recruitment solutions for employers, ensuring individuals support the needs of the business. In this case, we acted as the employer and the training provider, which helped us to ensure the training provided to individuals placed them in the best possible position to secure employment.

“I am delighted to welcome on board three new starters for Innovative Alliance, and one for Complete Training Solutions, along with the additional candidates across the Group. I look forward to seeing what they can achieve during their time with us.’’

Following on from the success of the initiative, The Progress Group has applied for a further three kickstart positions to work across the Group. CEO of The Progress Group, Jayne Worthington said;

‘’I am thrilled with the success of the initiative to date, and am delighted to welcome eight new additions to The Progress Group family.

The Kickstart Scheme is the perfect opportunity for us as employers to help support young people in accessing quality employment opportunities during this difficult time. The scheme epitomises what we are all about, which is to change lives through the power of education and training.’’

All eight individuals who secured employment as part of the scheme have already begun working across the Group. Roles include a Junior Data Analyst, Call Centre Advisers, Junior Graphic Designer and Administrative Assistants.

The Progress Group helps 8 young people secure employment through Kickstart Scheme
Business Growth  ·  Complete Training Solutions  ·  Innovative Alliance  ·  Positive outcomes  ·  Progress Schools  ·  The Progress Group
The Progress Group helps 8 young people secure employment through Kickstart Scheme

The Progress Group has helped 8 young people secure employment across the Group through the Government’s Kickstart Scheme.

The scheme provides funding to employers to help create jobs for young people aged 16 – 24, who access Universal Credit, and are at risk of long-term unemployment.

Through a group-wide initiative, the education and training specialists set a goal of helping young people access employment through the scheme. The Progress Group worked with Liverpool-based marketing agency, Jayne Moore Media, and Job Centre Plus (JCP) to identify potential candidates for the scheme.

Learners who were suitable for the scheme were then signposted onto the industry-led training provided by one of TPG’s subsidiaries, Innovative Alliance (IA).

Initially, learners attended an attraction day before completing a two-week customer service training course with one of IA’s expert trainers. During the second week of the industry-led training, learners were offered the opportunity to interview for one of the roles available across the Group.

Through industry-specific training, Innovative Alliance worked in partnership with employers and the JCP to identify individuals who best met the needs of the employers. IA handles all the pre-employment training and helps prepare learners for their interviews at the end of the course. Managing Director for Innovative Alliance, Ian Green said;

‘’Our industry-led training programmes allow us to provide effective recruitment solutions for employers, ensuring individuals support the needs of the business. In this case, we acted as the employer and the training provider, which helped us to ensure the training provided to individuals placed them in the best possible position to secure employment.’’

“I am delighted to welcome on board three new starters for Innovative Alliance, and one for Complete Training Solutions, along with the additional candidates across the Group. I look forward to seeing what they can achieve during their time with us.’’

Following on from the success of the initiative, The Progress Group has applied for a further three kickstart positions to work across the Group. CEO of The Progress Group, Jayne Worthington said;

‘’I am thrilled with the success of the initiative to date and am delighted to welcome eight new additions to The Progress Group family.’’

‘’The Kickstart Scheme is the perfect opportunity for us as employers to help support young people in accessing quality employment opportunities during this difficult time. The scheme epitomises what we are all about, which is to change lives through the power of education and training.’’

Matthew Rimmer was one of the individuals who joined Complete Training Solutions as part of the kickstart scheme. Matthew said;

‘’After losing my job due to the pandemic, I returned to Liverpool seeking another job. I was first made aware of the role from my work coach at the Job Centre Plus who advised me I met the criteria to be considered for the scheme.’’

‘’The role was the perfect opportunity for me. The working atmosphere is great and full of friendly and helpful people. I am enjoying my role and have recently been promoted to Business Manager. I love that there is a strong collaboration between all The Progress Group’s subsidiaries, it feels like one big family.’’

All eight individuals who secured employment as part of the scheme have already begun working across the Group. Roles include a Junior Data Analyst, Call Centre Advisers, Junior Graphic Designer, and Administrative Assistants.on are currently graded ‘Good.’

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