From education to employment

Alliance Learning celebrates 50 years in Business

Alliance Learning, one of the North West’s largest independent training providers, reaches an important milestone this June as the company celebrates their 50-year anniversary.

Alliance Learning ‘s head office is in Horwich, Bolton. They employ over 70 members of staff and they currently train around 500 Apprentices and 6,000 individuals each year to gain vital skills to take back to the workplace – a huge achievement considering the humble beginnings of the training organisation.

Alliance Learning was known as the Bolton & District Engineering Training Group when it was first registered in 1966, and the five original staff members were based in a porta cabin at the former Horwich Technical College.

The Training Group was set up by a partnership between the Engineering Industry Training Board, local Engineering Employer’s Associations, Horwich Technical College and several prominent local employers and was managed by Bert Krikken, a former senior training officer at British Rail Engineering Works. Initially Bolton & District Training Group was involved in apprentice recruitment, training and monitoring.

As the business grew it secured premises at 602 Chorley New Road and the company was re-registered as Bolton Engineering Training Group between 1986 and 1988. With more space and a dedicated training room, the Group expanded their services and offered First Aid and Supervisory Training in addition to Apprenticeships.

In 1989 the group moved to the Hurst Building in Horwich, which the business still occupies today, Alliance Learning was formed through the merger of Bolton Training Group and CLEEA Training in 2001.

Today the business continues to grow and expand the range of training courses and Apprenticeships on offer to people living and working in the North West. In the last 18 months Alliance Learning have received a number of high profile accolades for their work in the industry including the ‘SME of the Year’ at the Bolton and Bury Business Awards and more recently they have been shortlisted in 2 categories at the upcoming E3 business awards.

Julie Robinson, Chief Executive of Alliance Learning said:

“Looking back at how the business has evolved and grown over the last 50 years makes me so proud. I have worked for the organisation for 22 years and it has grown to be a big part of my life. The staff are one of the company’s biggest assets and we really are one big family.”

Alliance Learning will be celebrating their 50 year anniversary in style. There are lots of events and celebrations planned throughout the year including Employer Breakfast meetings, Apprenticeship Open Evenings and a big 50th Celebratory Community Day taking place on Saturday 4th June 2016 10am – 3pm, we invite past and present employees and apprentices and all members of the local community to come along and share this auspicious event with us, and bring with them their memories of the time spent here.

Follow Alliance Learning on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn to keep up to date and get involved or telephone the marketing department on 01204 677871 for further information.


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