CQM Training & Consultancy

What CQM Training & Consultancy does

CQM Training & Consultancy Ltd is a privately held UK training provider registered in England and Wales (Company Number 02782477), operating from Kettering, Northamptonshire, and delivering services across England. Founded in 1993-1994, the company has operated for over 30 years and has trained more than 10,000 individuals across over 1,000 organisations. Its core expertise lies in Lean Six Sigma methodology (DMAIC framework), continuous improvement, leadership development, and vocational apprenticeship delivery.

The company's product portfolio is divided into two principal arms. The commercial training arm offers accredited Lean Six Sigma Belt certifications (White, Yellow, Green, Black, and Master Black Belt, externally accredited through Instructus Skills), supplemented by short-form programmes including Root Cause Analysis (8D methodology), SMED Changeover Reduction, Train the Trainer, Authentic Leader, and IOSH Managing Safely. The apprenticeship arm delivers government-funded programmes at Levels 2-5+ spanning Lean Operative, Improvement Technician, Improvement Practitioner, Improvement Specialist, Business Analyst, Process Leader, and Food Industry Technologist standards. Supporting tools include the BKSB functional skills platform, Aptem apprenticeship portfolio system, and SigmaXL statistical software (licensed to learners). No proprietary technology platform underpins delivery; all training is instructor-led, delivered virtually, on-site at client premises, or in hybrid mode, and the company has no disclosed AI/ML capabilities.

Revenue is generated through three streams: (1) fee-for-service commercial training courses priced per programme, with publicly disclosed per-learner certification costs ranging from £150 (Yellow Belt non-apprenticeship) to £650 (Master Black Belt non-apprenticeship), (2) apprenticeship delivery funded via the UK Apprenticeship Levy through employer Digital Apprenticeship Service accounts and government top-ups for non-levy payers, and (3) a freemium Levy Calculator tool used for demand capture. The company sells via a B2B sales-led motion combining field sales, inside sales (phone, email, contact forms), and discovery events. Pricing for bespoke enterprise programmes is not publicly disclosed. Customer segments span food and drink manufacturing, aerospace and defence (BAE Systems), beverage manufacturing (Carlsberg Britvic), and shipping/logistics (CMA CGM), with horizontal targeting across all UK sectors. The company is led by Managing Director Andy Cheshire with Non-Executive Director Richard Smelt on the Board since 2019.

Name

CQM Training & Consultancy

Legal name

CQM Training & Consultancy Ltd

Website

https://cqmltd.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CQM Training & Consultancy is a UK-based private training provider (founded 1993) specialising in Lean Six Sigma, continuous improvement, and government-funded apprenticeship delivery (Levels 2-5) for UK organisations across food manufacturing, aerospace, and beverage sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chesterfield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Commercial Training Courses: Fee-for-service training programmes including Lean Six Sigma Belt certifications (White, Yellow, Green, Black, Master Black Belt), leadership courses, and professional development training. Delivered virtually, on-site, or hybrid. Revenue recognised upon programme completion.
2. Apprenticeship Programmes: Government-funded apprenticeship delivery (Levels 2-6) for employers paying the Apprenticeship Levy. Funded through the Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS) account. Additional revenue from non-levy payers with government top-up contributions.
3. Levy Calculator Tool: Financial management tool for organisations to plan and forecast apprenticeship spend. Free download with contact capture for sales follow-up.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

No source content with verifiable source IDs was supplied to describe the company's core offering.

Product overview

CQM Training & Consultancy offers a portfolio of training programmes and apprenticeship standards focused on continuous improvement, Lean Six Sigma, and leadership development. The core offering comprises accredited Lean Six Sigma Belt Certifications (White through Master Black Belt) that teach process improvement methodologies using the DMAIC framework, complemented by bite-sized training programmes including Root Cause Analysis (8D), SMED Changeover Reduction, Train the Trainer, Authentic Leader, and IOSH Managing Safely. The apprenticeship arm spans Levels 2 through 5/6, covering Lean Operative, Improvement Technician, Improvement Practitioner, Improvement Specialist, Business Analyst, Process Leader, and Food Industry Technologist standards. Supporting the training products are learner-facing tools including BKSB for functional skills assessment, Aptem for apprenticeship portfolio management, and SigmaXL statistical software for data analysis. The company also provides a Levy Calculator for financial planning and Training Needs Analysis services. All programmes are delivered by experienced development coaches with industry backgrounds, with flexible options for virtual, on-site, or hybrid delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over £100m annualised savings delivered for clients in 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Occupational Awards Limited (OAL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016CQM Training & Consultancy and Occupational Awards Limited (OAL) celebrate a decade-long partnership dedicated to delivering high-quality apprenticeship programmes. OAL is an awarding organisation for apprenticeships in the food and drink manufacturing sector.
• Instructus SkillscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExternal accrediting body for Lean Six Sigma Belt certifications (Yellow, Green, Black, and Master Black Belt). Learners receive globally recognised certification through Instructus Skills upon programme completion.
• National Skills Academy for Food & Drink (NSAFD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCQM T&C is the National Champion provider for Food Manufacturing Excellence for NSAFD. They sponsor industry events including launch events at the House of Commons.
• ADS GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCQM T&C is a member of ADS Group, the trade organisation for the aerospace, defence, and security industry in the UK.
• Good Business CharterminorOthersCQM T&C holds Good Business Charter accreditation, demonstrating commitment to responsible business practices.
• Harper Adams UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPractical apprenticeship delivery days hosted at Harper Adams University for food manufacturing programmes, providing hands-on learning environments.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• ILX Group: UK-headquartered specialist in Lean Six Sigma, PRINCE2, and ITIL training with accredited certification programmes — directly comparable to CQM's core Belt certification stack and corporate training model.
• The Knowledge Academy: UK-based training provider covering Lean Six Sigma, PRINCE2, and a broad catalogue of accredited professional courses — directly comparable to CQM in target audience, certification stack, and B2B sales motion.

Broad incumbents

• BPP Professional Education: Major UK professional education group offering apprenticeships and certifications across multiple disciplines — overlaps with CQM's apprenticeship delivery and corporate training, but at significantly larger scale.
• BSI Training: Global standards body with a significant training division covering quality, risk, and operational excellence — comparable to CQM's continuous improvement and Lean Six Sigma portfolio, but backed by standards authority and broader geographic reach.
• QA Ltd: Large UK training provider offering apprenticeships, professional certifications, and corporate learning across technology, project management, and leadership — overlaps with CQM's apprenticeship and Belt certification offerings but at much greater scale.
• Firebrand Training: Accelerated IT and business skills training provider with UK apprenticeship delivery — comparable on apprenticeship side and corporate training GTM, with different content focus.
• Lloyd's Register (LRQA): LRQA provides assurance, certification, and training services including quality management and process improvement — adjacent to CQM's continuous improvement training with broader portfolio and global delivery.
• Kaplan UK: Large UK professional training and apprenticeship provider across financial services, business, and leadership — comparable apprenticeship delivery model and corporate training footprint.
• SGS Academy: SGS's training arm delivers accredited professional courses across quality, health & safety, and operational excellence — overlapping with CQM's IOSH, Lean, and continuous improvement programmes.

Others

• City & Guilds: Major UK awarding organisation that accredits vocational qualifications including apprenticeship standards — not a direct training competitor but a key ecosystem partner analogous to CQM's relationships with OAL and Instructus Skills.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CQMtc
• Facebookfacebook.com/CQMTrainingandConsultancy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cqm-training-and-consultancy-ltd

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about CQM Training & Consultancy