Business Profile
Work-based learning provider West Berkshire Training Consortium (WBTC) has almost doubled the number of people it is helping to find work and achieve qualifications with several new developments for the company.
WBTC, a registered charity formed with the express purpose of providing vocational-based training and education for the local community, has been the principle provider of apprenticeships and qualifications in a wide range of subjects since 1983, serving not only Berkshire, but surrounding counties and beyond.
On February 1, WBTC took over the work of PACT Education and has opened new offices in Reading. This new development has increased the number of people for whom WBTC provides training, and has also expanded the portfolio of qualifications for the health and care professions.
The second new development is the ability to offer employers a NEW Apprenticeship Grant.
This grant is proving attractive to employers who need to train new staff in these challenging economic times. If they employ a 16 or 17-year-old who would otherwise be unemployed, they get a £2,500 grant over and above funding available for training.
For businesses with a community focus, including charities, there is funding available from the Future Jobs Fund. This fund is part of the Government’s ‘Backing Young Britain’ initiative it is aimed at getting 19-24-year-olds who are unemployed back into work or perhaps start their first job.
The director of development and quality at WBTC, Janice Powell, explained: “It was a natural step to take on the responsibilities of PACT Education; it safeguarded the jobs of the existing staff and ensured that those working towards qualifications would be able to carry on with assessors and trainers they knew – and it has also given us a base in Reading. We already had people travelling to our Newbury office from Reading and further east, so they will now be able to access our services much more locally.
“We feel that our new developments are helping people of all ages. The focus on health and social care is an area of increasing importance with our ageing population and we anticipate the demand for quality training in these fields will grow.
“The Apprenticeship Grants will help employers and also young people, aged 16-17 to get their first jobs, whilst the Future Jobs Fund will help those aged 19-24 to also find work.
“In comparison with other parts of the country, West Berkshire may have relatively low levels of unemployment, but the impact of unemployment on the individuals can be very serious wherever it happens; the loss of self worth can be very damaging, which is why we work so hard to give them the skills which will help them find work.
“The rural nature of the area, with poor public transport, also makes it harder for young people to find work. Imagine what it is like living in one of our beautiful outlying villages where there might be only a few buses a day! Finding and travelling to work can be difficult.
“WBTC’s mission is ‘to invest in quality training and continue to be the most successful training provider in the region’, and pave the way for equality of opportunity in training, education and employment for all. We were training almost 500 people and the takeover of PACT has increased this figure by a further 300.
“The expansion of our vocational expertise and the addition of the two new Grants and Funds available should enable us to help even more people to find work with training in our region.”
Any employers wanting to explore working with the WBTC should contact the charity via the details below.
West Berkshire Training Consortium
Tel: (01635) 35975
Contact: Adam Tickel, business development manager
E-mail:Adam@wbtc-uk.com
Web: www.wbtc-uk.com
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