ESG formed from established training providers.

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A new learning and skills company with a £25 million turnover has been formed following the merger of four existing training providers owned by private equity provider Sovereign Capital.

The Employability Skills Group comprises of: STL, the Sheffield-based apprentice learning specialist; Leicester-based Sencia, which specialises in getting long-term unemployed adults back to work; Derbyshire-based Orient Gold which delivers national training contracts across the UK and Midlands-based Triangle Training, a childcare sector training company. The companies employ 500 staff and deliver learning and skills programmes on behalf of the Learning and Skills Council, National Employer Service and Jobcentre Plus throughout the UK.

Adrian Holmes, previously managing director of STL, becomes Group Chief Executive Officer of ESG and is joined by the former STL Operations Director Michelle Rigby who becomes the new Group Managing Director. Steve Brown who was Finance Director at Sencia will take up the same position within ESG.

Adrian Holmes said: “The Employability and Skills Group reflects the core markets that we serve and the structure of the key funding organisations with which we work. Our training portfolio will grow to include “skills” programmes delivered on behalf of the Learning and Skills Council, and “employability” programmes delivered on behalf of Jobcentre Plus.

“The new group management team brings a wealth of experience from within the sector and these key appointments will help us realise our ambition, which is to work with national “blue chip” employers, as well as small and medium sized employers taking us into the top five largest training providers in the UK.

“We are at the start of a very exciting period for all staff, customers and stakeholders. Our growth will be both organic and by acquisition, with all businesses that we buy adding strategic value to the Group and carefully researched to ensure we build a rock solid platform from which to expand further. Each business continues to retain its operating integrity within the Group structure, whilst sharing the common vision and values of the Employability and Skills Group.”

The Employability and Skills Group operates across the UK, with operations in the North East, North West, East and West Midlands, Yorkshire and Humberside and London and the South East.

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