Acorn wins award for supporting people to engage with learning
Acorn Group director Barbara Poole with Lisa Mytton, head of quality, with their award.
A Newport-based training provider has won a prestigious national award.
Acorn Group received the Apprenticeship Provider Award for Social Responsiveness at the Apprenticeship Awards Cymru 2013, organised jointly by the Welsh Government and the National Training Federation for Wales (NTfW). The high profile awards ceremony was held at the Celtic Manor Resort, Newport.
Acorn Group director Barbara Poole said: “This award means everything to us because it shows that we are up there with the best training providers in Wales. It’s also a reward for all our hard working staff.
“It is a family orientated company that is totally passionate about training and this award shows that what we do, we do well.”
The awards recognise the outstanding achievements of learners, employers and providers involved in the delivery of quality apprenticeships and other work-based learning programmes across Wales. The Apprenticeship Programme is funded by the Welsh Government with the support of the European Social Fund.
Vulnerable women from ethnic minorities, refugees, people working in the community and teenagers with special educational needs are among more than 1,000 learners that Acorn Group has helped to complete learning activities over the last year.
Acorn aims to integrate within the communities that it serves by supporting people to engage with the learning arena at lots of different levels across a range of programmes, including apprenticeships.
Over the last year, the company has worked with Oxfam to support and develop women of ethnic minority to achieve a bespoke level one retail qualification and BTEC knowledge technical certificate, boosting their confidence and enabling them to apply for retail roles.
The company has also created a Recognition of Prior Learning programme with the Wales Refugee Council to deliver unit accreditation to residents in Cardiff who have now become citizens in Wales.
In addition, Acorn has delivered the QWEST programme, which engages adult learners, who may be unemployed, volunteering or working less than 16 hours per week, to study community development as a qualification.
The company has also delivered qualifications to pupils aged 16 and 17, who have special educational needs or have become disengaged from learning. This year 21 pupils achieved the BTEC Award in Work Skills at entry level.
“We are working in local communities in Wales supporting individuals to benefit from a positive learning experience and to recognise their achievements,” said Sarah John, Acorn’s commercial director.
Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology, Ken Skates said: “The Apprenticeship Awards allow us to celebrate the range of skills that our young people have to offer as well as the dedication shown by employers and training providers and I’d like to congratulate all of the worthy winners.
“It was a real pleasure to meet such hard-working and ambitious young people who have all achieved so much, as well as the employers and training providers who have gone that extra mile in supporting young people to fulfil their potential. They are all a credit to themselves and an inspiration to others.
“Our recent budget announcement has confirmed an additional £12.5 million to extend our Jobs Growth Wales programme for a fourth year. This means that we can create more than 4,000 extra job opportunities for 16-24 year olds in 2015-16. The Welsh Government will also be investing a further £20 million in 2015-16 to support apprenticeships. This is excellent news for our young people and our employers and will allow us to make a real difference.”
Showcasing excellence in skills development in Wales, the awards are sponsored by Pearson PLC with support from media partner, Media Wales. Award Sponsors are Leadership & Management Wales and ACT Training.
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