Two training providers owned by the same Swiss investment firm have ceased trading after the Department for Education terminated their apprenticeship contracts.
West Yorkshire-based Woodspeen Training and Merseyside-based Jarvis Training Management, which between them train thousands of apprentices and hundreds of adult learners, announced insolvency today.
Around 175 staff are employed by the providers, according to Companies House.
A spokesperson for both training providers said their collapse follows “recent Department for Education decisions under the apprenticeships accountability framework”.
“The outcome reflects historic performance challenges, particularly around timeliness measures that lag behind recent operational improvements,” the spokesperson explained.
“Since April this year, the new leadership team has refocused the business on its core strengths, strengthened governance, and launched intensive learner support initiatives.
“Despite these efforts, the formal review concluded before improvements could be sufficiently evidenced.
“Our priority now is to work closely with the Department to transfer learners smoothly to alternative providers and support staff through the transition.”
Woodspeen Training has operated for over 30 years ago. It was judged ‘requires improvement’ by Ofsted this year and trains over 1,800 apprentices in business, care and health, as well as 70 adult learners on courses in beauty and fitness. It also offers skills bootcamps in pharmacy and in public service delivery funded through the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Liverpool City Region.
The provider’s overall apprenticeship achievement rate in 2023-24 was 42.8 per cent, according to latest available government data.
A key criticism in Ofsted’s report on Woodspeen was that “too many learners and apprentices leave their programmes early and do not achieve”.
Jarvis Training Management (JTM) is owned by Woodspeen but has itself been running since the 1980s.
JTM was judged ‘requires improvement’ by Ofsted in 2023 and delivers hundreds of apprenticeships in the early years sector. The provider also offered courses to over 100 adults in beauty therapy at the time of the watchdog’s visit.
This provider’s overall apprenticeship achievement rate was 51.9 per cent in 2023-24.
Similar to Woodspeen, JTM was criticised by Ofsted as there were “too many learners and apprentices [who] fail to complete and achieve within the planned time”.
According to Companies House, JTM is owned by Woodspeen Training which itself is ultimately owned by Alphen Trust, an independent investment advisory and asset management company based in Zurich, Switzerland.
The spokesperson for the providers said: “We are proud of the progress made under the new team and grateful to colleagues for their professionalism.”
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