Aspiration Training are thrilled to have been shortlisted as a finalist in the Rate My Apprenticeship Awards 2021.

Together with our employer partners Gloucestershire County Council we are delighted to announce that we are finalists in the Rate My Apprenticeship Awards 2021 in the category ‘Best Training Provider and Employer Partnership.’ A brand new award for 2021, this award celebrates the incredible partnerships between training providers and employers to deliver quality apprenticeships.

Being recognised as a finalist in this category is testament to the great work we’re doing together to raise the profile and visibility of apprenticeships in the Gloucestershire region and in supporting SME’s in the region through levy transfers, expanding apprenticeship delivery into new areas and directly supporting even more young people into apprenticeships and employment.

Gloucestershire County Council and Aspiration Training started working together in 2018 through an employer referral. Gloucestershire County Council were looking for a provider to support the delivery of a range of Health & Social Care and Management apprenticeships for the  team to increase and improve their portfolio at Shire Hall and across 11 Adult Care Centres. The partnership was forged to provide tailored apprenticeships, with 45 learners enrolled across council settings to-date.

Due to the success of the partnership and quality of the apprenticeship delivery, Aspiration Training were soon asked to support Gloucestershire County Council with Levy Transfer funds supporting local SMEs creating new apprenticeship opportunities and upskilling existing workforce.

The objective was for Gloucestershire County Council to reinvest unspent levy funds back into the region, supporting SME businesses and learners with apprenticeship training, boosting skills and the local economy.

The effective partnership enabled 125 apprenticeship starts since May 2019 and contributed to Gloucestershire County Council fully utilising their transferrable funds by November 2020.

Gloucestershire County Council achieved its objective of redistributing any unspent levy funding, investing in local businesses, covering training costs, supporting growth and boosting the local economy in Gloucestershire at the same time as demonstrating corporate social responsibility.

The partnership with Aspiration Training has allowed Gloucestershire County Council to back the wider SME community ensuring access to new talent and providing opportunities to succeed in the digital age, regardless of background. SMEs are the life-blood of the local economy, and Gloucestershire County Council are committed to helping as many as possible to not just recover from Covid-19, but adapt and thrive in the future.

Aspiration Training CEO, Iain Salisbury said:

I am so proud of our team, learners and employers, who have all worked exceptionally hard over this past year to deliver and achieve outstanding apprenticeships. Our partnership with Gloucestershire County Council is a successful example of how Training Providers and Employers can work together to achieve more. Working in partnership has meant that we have been able to help Gloucestershire County Council utilise unspent levy funds to support SME’s to develop skills and grow through apprenticeships. Cementing these strategic partnerships has been invaluable for many local businesses and ultimately for the learners who are gaining new skills and career development.

The full list of finalist can be viewed on the Rate My Apprenticeship website 

Well done to the other finalists and we look forward to the awards ceremony which takes place virtually on Thursday 15th July 2021.