European Social Fund in England
2007 - 2013
Derbyshire Network celebrates ‘Skills Xtra’ success
In July, at a prestigious event in Derby, Tom Compton - Regional Director of the East Midlands Learning and Skills Council (LSC), presented awards on behalf of The Derbyshire Network to Derbyshire training providers, employers and their learners who had successfully completed the ‘Skills Xtra’ programme.
The ‘Skills Xtra’ programme, launched in February 2006 addressed skill shortages across Derbyshire, enabling employers to secure training support for their staff. In all, 33 training providers had delivered adult work based learning in the key priority areas of Construction, Engineering, Manufacturing, Transportation, Logistics, Retail, Leisure, Tourism and Hospitality, Health and Social Care, Management and Business Administration.
In total 256 Derbyshire employers have benefited from the ‘Skills Xtra’ initiative, with 770 of their employees achieving a qualification.
Peter Jessop, Business Manager of The Derbyshire Network commented, “We are absolutely delighted that the ‘Skills Xtra’ programme has been so successful in Derbyshire. During the two years that the initiative has been running, the Network and its members have been instrumental in upskilling the workforce of the region and we have seen an 80% overall learner achievement rate which is absolutely fantastic.”
The nine winning training providers received Gold, Silver and Bronze awards in three categories, together with one employer and two Learners.
The Gold award winners were KTL, DART Ltd, and The Centre for Business Development Ltd.
Derek Crew one of the successful learners of Child Safe Midlands said “I have been recently employed as a Quality Assurance Coordinator, without these qualifications this would not have happened”.
The Silver award winners were TBG Learning, HIT Training, Premium 4 Training, and in Bronze placing were Age Concern Training, Acorn Training Consultants Ltd and Skills Gap Training Company.
Tom Crompton, Regional Director of LSC East Midlands said, “I am very pleased that the ‘Skills Xtra’ initiative has been successful in the Derbyshire area where the LSC made funding available to address low productivity levels and a lack of skills and qualifications. Clearly, with such high achievement rates we are making significant steps in ensuring that the workforce has the skills that are required in the region. The Derbyshire Network and its members should be very proud of their achievements”.
