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The Progress Group (TPG), has announced The Standing Tall Foundation as its nominated charity of the year.

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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.

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).

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;

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.’’

Innovative Alliance announce launch of Teaching Assistant Apprenticeships

Adult Education · Apprenticeships · Business Growth · Innovative Alliance · Skills agenda · The Progress Group

Innovative Alliance announces launch of their Teaching Assistant Apprenticeships

Business Growth · Employee appointment · The Progress Group

The Progress Group appoint Charlotte Barton as Director of Transformation

Charlotte Barton_Director of Transformation_The Progress Group National education and training specialists, The Progress Group, have appointed Charlotte Barton as their new Director of Learning Transformation. The role will see Charlotte draw on her extensive expertise to drive forward quality standards across the Group.

Charlotte, who previously worked as a Safeguarding & Compliance Executive at Progress Schools – a subsidiary of The Progress Group, has an extensive background in education and training.

Charlotte’s entire working career has consisted of working with students who have significant barriers to education, having started her career in a SEMH Behavioural Unit, she then moved into Alternative Education. Holding a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership, Charlotte is well equipped with the knowledge and experience to thrive in her new position.

Charlotte’s new role will see her lead and drive forward the quality standards across The Progress Group. As Director of Learning Transformation, Charlotte will be responsible for improving outcomes and services offered through innovative teaching, training, and learning development.

Talking of her appointment, Charlotte said;

‘’I am thrilled to have been appointed Director of Learning Transformation for The Progress Group. The Group’s values, coupled with our collective impact that we have on learners are just two of the many reasons why I love being a part of the business. The opportunities we can offer to others are phenomenal, with ever-expanding, flexible training and education solutions to meet a variety of learner and industry needs.

‘’My priorities for my new role are to identify and implement ways to transform the education and training that we offer across all our subsidiaries, whilst ensuring our staff are empowered to provide high-quality teaching and learning.’’

The Progress Group is made up of six subsidiaries, providing training and education to individuals aged from 8 through to 60 across England.

Talking on Charlotte’s appointment, The Progress Group’s CEO, Jayne Worthington said;

‘’As a Group of training and education specialists, ensuring that we maintain high-quality standards across the business has always been a core priority.

“As we continue to expand and grow, we want to ensure that we do not compromise on the quality of education or training we provide. I am thrilled to welcome Charlotte from Progress Schools to the Senior Leadership Team of The Progress Group. Her extensive background in education and compliance makes her the perfect person to drive forward our vision for standards and quality, and she has already hit the ground running.”

The Progress Group pride itself on the quality of education and training they provide across all six of their subsidiaries Their industry-led approach allows them to have long lasting impacts on the lives of their learners by helping them get ready for the world of work or to progress up the career ladder. All subsidiaries who are eligible for Ofsted inspection are currently graded ‘Good.’

Business Growth · The Progress Group

The Progress Groups appoints Rosemary Abiodun as new group Human Resources Director

The Progress Groups appoints Rosemary Abiodun as new group Human Resources Director National education and training specialists, The Progress Group, have appointed Rosemary Abiodun as their new HR Director. The role will see Rosemary lead on the strategic development for HR and Recruitment across the group.

Rosemary, who previously worked as a HR Executive in Progress Schools – a subsidiary of The Progress Group, has an extensive background in HR, Rosemary has worked across social integration, sales and recruitment, tech, and private medical industries.

At University, Rosemary studied Law as an undergraduate where her interest in Employment Law was sparked. She began working in the HR industry whilst also working towards obtaining her master’s in Human Resources Management, and associate Level 7 CIPD.

Rosemary’s new role will see her work as part of the Senior Leadership Team in The Progress Group, leading on the organisational development of the business.

Talking of her appointment, Rosemary said;

‘’Our employees are at the heart of our operations, delivering on our values and mission in the communities we work in. Through fostering a positive and high-performance working culture, we can support them to continue on delivering on our promise to drive forward social mobility. By continually improving our organisational and workforce development we can nurture our current employees whilst attracting skilled professionals into the business. The education and training workforce is under more pressure than ever as it works to support the economic recovery. It is important now, more than ever, that we create a rewarding and cultivating workplace that supports them.’’

The Progress Group has six subsidiaries, providing training and education to individuals from age 8 through to 60. As a collective Group, they currently employ 165 people.

Talking of Rosemary’s appointment, Group CEO, Jayne Worthington said;

‘’As we look towards the future strategic development of the Group, it was only fitting that we sought an expert to ensure our workforce is supported and equipped to deliver on our mission. A passionate and motivated workforce will be a key driving factor to the Group’s ability to deliver on our promise to change lives through the power of education and training.

The past twelve months have been difficult for everyone, but we want to ensure that we create a positive working culture that our employees and stakeholders can be proud of. Rosemary’s appointment will strengthen our ability to foster a high-performance workplace that supports employees and helps us meet the social and economic demands.’’

Skills agenda · The Progress Group · Thought Leadership

How training providers will play a key role in the success of the UKs economic recovery plans

Author: Jayne Worthington, The Progress Group CEO

As we move forward into Spring with hopes of COVID-19 restrictions easing, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak has outlined the Government’s plans to rebuild the economy. He announced the extension of several support schemes including the Furlough scheme. The budget signals the Government’s commitment to placing the UK at center stage for development in the coming years.

Through the investment-led recovery plans, we will see the development of clean energy infrastructure, the creation of eight Freeports across England, and additional funding to 45 towns across England. But with a surge in demand for skilled workers on the horizon, how can we support the Government’s plan, ensuring they are met with a readied and skilled workforce.

As part of the ‘levelling-up’ agenda, which was first announced in December 2020, The UK Infrastructure Bank which is due to come into operation in Spring, aims to support at least £40bn of both private and public sector infrastructure projects. The bank will be a key driving force in delivering on the ‘Green Building Revolution’, with its primary focus on the economic infrastructure sectors, such as clean energy. The large investment will support in the development of wind farms, creating thousands of jobs and attracting a skilled and robust renewables workforce to UK shores. Although the investment gives a beacon of hope for many in the sector, it is essential that moving forwards the Government sets out further measures to mobilise significant levels of private capital into projects that both create jobs and support the Green Revolution ambitions.

The announcement also outlined the creation of eight Freeport sites across England, with one located here in the Liverpool City Region. With future opportunities in offshore wind, tidal power, and hydrogen, the Freeport will bring the City Region to the forefront of the Government’s Net Zero ambitions. The success of such projects relies on renewables training providers, such as Complete Training Solutions (CTS), to ready the future workforce. As one of the largest training providers in the UK to offer the GWO Basic Safety Training Package, CTS will prove an integral part of the Government’s efforts.

Annually, CTS deliver 14,500 GWO training courses, equipping delegates with the skills and knowledge to kick start their careers in the renewables sector. Their capacity to deliver large volumes of training, along with the high-quality courses on offer, in my opinion will make them a clear driving force in training and readying the future renewables workforce.

The Chancellor also announced additional funding into 45 towns across England, supporting their long-term economic and social regeneration, as well as their immediate recovery from the impacts of COVID-19. On the list of towns to receive support was Southport, where Innovative Alliance (IA) currently operate, delivering a number of fully funded courses that help adults get back to work. IA recently worked in partnership with DWP in Southport to deliver the Job Accelerated Club Project, where 60% of learners secured positive outcomes. The additional funding will go a long way in helping IA continue to support people in Southport, who have found themselves in unemployment.

As CEO of a group of training and education providers, covering the construction, renewables, education, and adult learning sectors. I am pleased with the support outlined by the Government and believe our group of specialist training providers will play a vital role in the economic recovery plans. The plans signal the first steps for rebuilding, but we must ensure we do not take our foot of the gas now. Ensuring the job market is met with a skilled and readied workforce must remain a top priority as we move into a post-COVID-19 era.

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