Tech and digital training firm aims to create 50 new jobs after £1m expansion

With pic: Baltic Apprenticeships managing director Tony Hobbs (right) with (left to right) Joanna Murphy, Ian Barrett, John Parkin and Laura Jackson.

Tech and digital training firm aims to create 50 new jobs after £1m expansion

An apprenticeships provider which specialises in the tech and digital sectors is aiming to create at least 50 new jobs after relocating to a new £1m head office.

Baltic Apprenticeships have completed the purchase of Pioneer House, at Pioneer Court Business Park in Darlington, to create a central hub for their growing team.

The firm had been based across four locations on Aycliffe Business Park, but has made the move to their new 17,500 sq ft facility to accommodate ambitious growth plans.

With the support of a £435,000 Large Capital Grant from the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority, Baltic Apprenticeships completed the purchase of Pioneer House in June and are now fully operational at their impressive new, three-storey hub.

The firm’s managing director Tony Hobbs said: “Due to rapid growth across all our departments, we knew we had to make the investment of a central hub to allow for sustainable expansion.

“Operating across four buildings was impacting our ability to coach new employees and build a collaborative culture.

“This move into our new flagship HQ will allow us to create more job opportunities across the Tees Valley and grow our workforce further, as this is a key geographical location and opens a brand new talent pool.”

Mr Hobbs says the funding will enable to firm to create even more jobs.

He said: “This grant is awarded to support the regional development of the Tees Valley Area and the creation of employment opportunities, and we have committed to creating a minimum of 48 new jobs.

“Already ahead of plan, we have nine new team members due to start soon and eight vacancies currently advertised.

“The grant being awarded now allows us to continue our growth plans. We are committing to creating one apprenticeship opportunity for every 15 new staff hired to help futureproof the North-East’s digital landscape.”

Baltic Apprenticeships are a national apprenticeship training provider focused solely on developing tech and digital skills, with their apprenticeship programmes covering data, software development, IT and digital marketing.

The company launched in a Portakabin in Hartlepool in 2006 and has since grown to employ a team of 256.

“We are rooted in the North-East and are currently supporting hundreds of employers in the region and thousands of employers and learners nationally through our tech and digital apprenticeships,” added Mr Hobbs.

“It’s no secret that the digital skills gap is continuing to cause big headaches for businesses in all sectors, and apprentices are increasingly a popular choice for businesses to future proof their skills needs.

“We continue to specialise, innovate and push the boundaries to play our part in solving the skills crisis.

“We are on track to double our apprentice numbers this year and achieve our ambitious growth plans, with our expert and passionate team members and now our new home for Baltic, there is no stopping us.

“Data is also a big growth area for all businesses and sectors at the moment. We have invested in our own data team, including several data apprentices, and more to come.”

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “It is brilliant to see Baltic Apprenticeships move into a bigger premises in our region and even better that the move is helping them create so many new jobs.

“It’s proof that giving post-Covid support to our brilliant local businesses is the right thing to do, to help meet their growth ambitions and boost our economy.

“Baltic Apprenticeships is yet another firm playing its part in supporting our all-important apprentices across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool, equipping them with the skills they need to benefit from the good-quality, well-paid jobs we are creating in our ever-growing digital sector.”