The Midlands’ leading training company has welcomed the Prime Minister’s promise of a radical shake up in adult education.

But Chris Luty, managing director of Oldbury-based BCTG, said it was important that the Government also recognised the value of grass roots training.

“We are already seeing people losing their jobs, who will need to reskill to regain employment. They need access to good quality funded training.

“While Level 3 qualifications are important, we can’t forget the value of Level 2 qualification, particularly for young adults, as a stepping stone to a career. We need to ensure we get the foundations right as well as building on higher level skills.

He said it was essential that these qualifications are delivered flexibly in a way that suits both the learners and employer.

“We should be using the ‘Martini Model’ – anytime, anyplace, anywhere.

“BCTG has an outstanding reputation for delivering highly flexible courses as a mix of online, remote classroom and face to face – this is very well suited to this new generation of qualification.”

He stressed that it was important that the government did not overlook practical skills such as construction and engineering – the engine room of any economic recovery.

“The Prime Minister mentioned digital skills and this is important but we must not forget the less trendy and fashionable sectors when we already know we need to build more houses and we need to manufacture our way through Brexit and beyond,” he said.

BCTG Group is a West Midlands-based training organisation which supports almost 10,000 young people and adults each year.

The group has ten sites in Birmingham, the Black Country, Staffordshire and Newcastle-under-Lyme, and includes PTP Training, trading as Performance Through People, BCTG Ltd, Eurosource Solutions, Further Training and The Apprenticeship Works.

The group offers 166 different types of apprenticeship, 84 different adult upskilling and reskilling courses and 27 pre-apprenticeship programmes for 16 to 18-year-olds. These include everything from healthcare and early years care to construction, engineering, manufacturing and logistics, through to business skills in IT, management and team leading.

Ends (340 words)

For further information, please contact:

Chris Luty, Chief Executive Officer,

BCTG Group, European Business Park, Taylors Lane, Oldbury, B69 2BN. Tel: 0121 544 6455

Prepared and issued by Andy Skinner of ASAP PR – 01608 651203, mobile 07990 978257.

Note to editors:

BCTG Group is a West Midlands-based training organisation which supports almost 10,000 young people and adults each year.

The group has ten sites in Birmingham, the Black Country, Staffordshire and Newcastle-under-Lyme, and includes PTP Training, trading as Performance Through People, BCTG Ltd, Eurosource Solutions, Further Training and The Apprenticeship Works.

The group offers 166 different types of apprenticeship, 84 different adult upskilling and reskilling courses and 27 pre-apprenticeship programmes for 16 to 18-year-olds. These include everything from healthcare and early years care to construction, engineering, manufacturing and logistics, through to business skills in IT, management and team leading.