TQ, the leading UK provider of training and education services to Governments and private clients around the World, is predicting 2009 to be a record year for the sector as the popularity of apprenticeships and the demand abroad for training provision from UK firms both continue to see strong growth.
The firm, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in January, has itself seen a 60% increase in the size of its order book over 2008, and is seeing unprecedented interest across the industry from key global markets, keen to provide British education expertise, knowledge and standards to their domestic markets.
“In the 50 years the company has been in operation I don’t think we’ve ever seen such a breadth and scope for positive market growth like this”, commented Vic Keyworth, CEO of TQ.
“Despite the economic downturn, and I suspect because of it, the quality of a ‘British education’ remains a strong selling point for firms in our sector and we are seeing unprecedented interest from firms across the Middle East, North Africa, China and Russia in particular.”
TQ has helped lead the international popularity of UK education and has built its reputation and market standing through the provision of first-class education of personnel in a wide range of industries around the world over its 50yr history.
The firm has unique experience in working across a wide range of industries around the globe, with clients across the military, oil, Higher Education and electronics sectors in particular.
In the UK, the firm will launch an apprenticeship training scheme for military engineers in January as part of a 30yr MoD contract
“In times of increased market competitiveness there is a recognised need for well trained and knowledgeable employees to help maintain a company’s competitive edge. If there is one ray of hope at the moment it’s that so many firms are recognising this, as is the UK Government and we welcome recent figures showing record numbers of apprentices starting courses in 2008”, added Keyworth.
Recent Government figures showed that 224,800 people started an apprenticeship this academic year, compared to 184,400 in 2006/07 – a rise of 22%.
The numbers finishing apprenticeships now stands at 112,600 for 2007/08, up from 111,800 last year.
In total, more than six in ten (63.7%) of people now complete the training schemes, compared to just under six in ten (58.9%) last year.
The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) has a target of 250,000 people beginning apprenticeships by 2020, and 190,000 completing apprenticeships by this date.[1]
This is just part of an estimated £40bn skills training sector in the UK alone. TQ estimate the foreign demand for UK skills training to be £300-£400bn.
