Realise

What Realise does

Realise is a Sheffield-headquartered, England-focused training provider delivering government-funded apprenticeships (Levels 2 to 5) and adult education programmes across five primary sectors: Early Years and Childcare, Health and Social Care, Business Solutions (HR, project management, leadership, customer service), Transport (bus and coach driver apprenticeships plus CPC compliance training), and Public Sector. The company trains more than 18,300 learners per year through a network of 500+ sector-specialist trainers, supported by blended delivery that combines face-to-face teaching, remote sessions, webinars, one-to-one coaching, online learning resources and e-portfolio tracking. Realise is the trading name of Realise Learning & Employment Limited (Companies House No. 07703720), and operates additional sites including the Oldham Skills Hub. Its customer base spans large private-sector employers (DHL, Stagecoach, Greater Anglia, Lithia UK, Screwfix, Barchester, Computacenter) and public-sector bodies (NHS trusts, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, local authorities).

Revenue is generated through three principal streams: government-funded apprenticeship training (paid via employer Apprenticeship Levy for larger employers and 95% government subsidy for smaller businesses, structured as multi-year contracts), funded adult education programmes delivered under contracts with combined authorities such as GMCA, WYCA, SYMCA, Liverpool City Region, and Tees Valley, and bespoke employer-funded workforce development and professional qualifications. A free recruitment service is offered to employers as a customer-acquisition lever. The go-to-market combines field sales targeting large employers across care, NHS, transport, and retail with a direct-to-consumer apprenticeship-vacancy portal.

Realise is privately held under the ownership of Enact, an Activeline private-equity portfolio company, and has executed a buy-and-build strategy: it acquired FW Solutions in September 2022 to enter the early years training market and extend its presence into Yorkshire and the North East, and acquired Smart Gas Training and Assessment Centre in March 2025 to add regulated gas-engineering assessments. The company cites 40 years of operational experience and is regulated by Ofsted, holds Skills for Care endorsement, and maintains ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus certifications.

Name

Realise

Legal name

Realise Learning & Employment Limited

Website

https://realisetraining.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Realise is a Sheffield-headquartered UK training provider delivering government-funded apprenticeships (Levels 2 to 5) and adult education across five sectors — Health and Social Care, Early Years, Transport, Business Solutions, and Public Sector — training 18,300+ learners annually through 500+ specialist trainers. The firm is privately held under Enact private equity ownership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Training and Apprenticeships

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Apprenticeships, Internships & Work-Based Learning Programs (BPACANAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Training Delivery Providers (In-Person, Virtual, Train-the-Trainer) (BPACANAM), Integrated Education & Training (IET) / Contextualized ABE (Workforce-Linked) (EDAAAAAK)

Keywords

• Apprenticeship training
• Adult education
• Vocational training
• Workforce development
• Government funded training

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheffield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government-Funded Apprenticeship Training: Apprenticeship programmes funded through the UK Government's Apprenticeship Service. Larger employers fund training through their apprenticeship levy, while smaller businesses receive 95% government coverage for training costs. Learners do not contribute financially.
2. Adult Education and Funded Courses: Nationally recognised qualifications and adult education programmes funded through government schemes and combined authorities such as Greater Manchester Combined Authority, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, and others.
3. Employer-Funded Workforce Development: Bespoke training programmes and professional qualifications for employers seeking to develop their workforce, funded through employer investment in staff development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Realise delivers government-funded apprenticeship programmes (Level 2 to Level 5) and adult education courses across five core sectors: Early Years, Health and Social Care, Business Solutions, Transport, and Public Sector. Training is delivered through a blended learning model combining face-to-face teaching, remote sessions, webinars, one-to-one support, and e-portfolio tracking, with funding flowing from the UK Apprenticeship Levy and combined authorities. The company also provides a free recruitment service for employers and apprenticeship vacancy advertising for individual learners.

Product overview

Realise is a training provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of apprenticeship programmes and adult education courses across five core sectors: Early Years, Health and Social Care, Business Solutions, Transport, and Public Sector. The organisation delivers both apprenticeship programmes (spanning Level 2 to Level 5) and funded adult education courses including diplomas and certificates. Supporting services include free recruitment assistance for employers and training funded through the government's apprenticeship levy or other schemes. The company operates as a unified training platform rather than a modular software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Apprenticeships Government-funded apprenticeship programmes delivered across multiple sectors including Early Years, Health and Social Care, Business Solutions, Transport, and Public Sector, ranging from Level 2 to Level 5 qualifications. Funded via the UK Apprenticeship Levy for large employers and 95% government coverage for smaller businesses.
• Adult Education Courses Funded adult education programmes including diplomas, certificates, and short courses in care, business skills, employability, and sector-specific training, delivered through government schemes and combined authorities such as GMCA, WYCA, and SYMCA.
• Health and Social Care Training Training programmes aligned to Skills for Care frameworks supporting CQC standards, including Adult Care Worker, Lead Adult Care Worker, Senior Healthcare Support Worker, Lead Practitioner, and Leader in Adult Care apprenticeships for residential care, domiciliary care, and community services providers.
• Business Solutions Training Professional qualifications and apprenticeships in Human Resources, Project Management, Leadership, Customer Service, and Learning and Development, delivered through CIPD, ILM, CMI, and APM accredited pathways.
• Transport Training Specialist passenger transport training for bus and coach operators including bus driver apprenticeship programmes, PCV licence acquisition, CPC periodic training, driver observations, quality audits, and the Route to Success recruitment programme in partnership with the Bee Network.
• Early Years Training Early years education and training programmes meeting long-term recruitment needs, including Early Years Educator apprenticeships, nursery practitioner training, childminder qualifications, and early years SENCO training for nurseries, preschools, and childcare settings.
• Public Sector Training Training solutions for public sector organisations including Operations Manager Apprenticeship and People Professional Apprenticeship for NHS trusts, local councils, and government bodies.
• Free Recruitment Service Free vacancy advertising and candidate sourcing service for employers, including connections to major UK job platforms and dedicated recruitment experts to find suitable apprenticeship candidates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 18,300+ learners trained annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGMCA partners with Realise to deliver funded training programmes in Greater Manchester, including the Route to Success bus driver recruitment initiative and other adult education courses.
• West Yorkshire Combined AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for delivery of funded adult education programmes in West Yorkshire including Leeds, Wakefield, Bradford, Calderdale, and Kirklees areas.
• South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for delivery of funded training programmes in South Yorkshire including Sheffield, Barnsley, Rotherham, and Doncaster.
• Liverpool City Region Combined AuthoritysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for delivery of adult care diplomas and training programmes in Liverpool City Region.
• Tees Valley Combined AuthoritysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for delivery of care sector training programmes in Tees Valley region.
• Skills for CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkills for Care endorsed provider status. Realise delivers programmes aligned to Skills for Care frameworks for social care workforce development.
• CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with CIPD for delivery of HR and people professional qualifications at Levels 3 and 5.
• ILM (Institute of Leadership and Management)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerILM approved centre for delivery of leadership and management qualifications at Level 3.
• CMI (Chartered Management Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMI approved centre for delivery of coaching and mentoring qualifications at Level 3.
• OfstedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegulated by Ofsted for delivery of education and training programmes. Subject to Ofsted inspection.
• ESFA (Education and Skills Funding Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment agency that funds and regulates apprenticeship training delivery in England.
• Bee NetworksecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with the Bee Network (Greater Manchester's bus franchising scheme) for delivery of Route to Success driver training programmes.
• Department for EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDfE is a key government partner for apprenticeship delivery and funding in England.
• HighfieldsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccredited training provider for Highfield qualifications in health, safety, and compliance areas.
• ICS Learn Group (DPG, Acacia, ICS Learn)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing learners access to CIPD materials and qualification resources through DPG, Acacia and ICS Learn brands.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lifetime Training: One of the UK's largest apprenticeship and traineeship providers, focused on care, business skills, and public sector training. Direct competitor of Realise in apprenticeship delivery and free recruitment services for employers.
• Babington: UK apprenticeship and professional development provider with strong footprint in business solutions, early years, and adult education. Closely comparable to Realise on sector mix and apprenticeship-led revenue model.
• Skills Training UK: UK apprenticeships and adult education provider delivering programmes across business, digital, and care with combined authority partnerships. Competes head-to-head with Realise for funded regional training contracts.
• learndirect: One of the largest adult education providers in the UK delivering apprenticeships, traineeships, and funded courses. Comparable to Realise in adult-funded programme delivery and self-serve learning pathways.
• QA Ltd: UK-based technology and training provider offering apprenticeships in digital, IT, and business with broad employer relationships. Comparable to Realise on enterprise-led apprenticeship go-to-market and apprenticeship levy utilisation services.

Emerging players

• Estio Training: Specialist UK IT and digital apprenticeship provider. Partial overlap with Realise on the digital/business solutions side of apprenticeship delivery, serving a narrower technical segment.

Broad incumbents

• Kaplan UK: Large UK-based provider of professional training, apprenticeships, and qualifications across accountancy, financial services, and leadership. A broad incumbent where Realise's CIPD/ILM/CMI-stacked business solutions overlap with Kaplan's wider portfolio.
• BPP Professional Education Group: UK-based professional education provider offering apprenticeships (including CIPD and ACA pathways), professional development, and higher education. Broad incumbent competing on business, legal, and accountancy apprenticeship routes.

Others

• City & Guilds: UK awarding body delivering qualifications and apprenticeships, including technical and trade routes. Not a direct competitor on delivery but is the awarding partner underpinning much of the regulated content both Realise and other training providers deliver.
• AIM Group (AIM Qualifications): UK training, assessment, and apprenticeship delivery group serving care, education, and public sector customers. Adjacent peer with comparable combined authority and adult education contract exposure but smaller operating scale than Realise.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Realise
• Facebookfacebook.com/RealiseTraining
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/realisetraining
• Instagraminstagram.com/realisetraining

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Realise