Somerset Skills & Learning

What Somerset Skills & Learning does

Somerset Skills & Learning CIC (SS&L) is a Community Interest Company and social enterprise providing vocational education, apprenticeships, and community learning courses across South West England, primarily Somerset, Devon, Dorset and Wiltshire. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Bridgwater, the company operates a portfolio that includes apprenticeships for ages 16+, 16-24 year old programmes (School Leaver Programmes, Future Ready Programme, Supported Internships), accredited qualifications from Entry Level to Level 3, and community short courses, alongside dedicated learner support services including a Health and Wellbeing Resource Hub.

SS&L delivers training through a multi-platform digital infrastructure combining CenturyTech for online learning, Moodle as its learning management system, Learning Assistant for progress tracking, and E-Assessor for assessments, supplemented by HubSpot and Mailchimp for marketing communications and Vimeo for video content. As an Ofsted-registered provider with Cyber Essentials, Matrix and NCFE credentials, SS&L operates under UK GDPR with a published safeguarding policy. The organisation's CEO is Kathryn Baker.

The business model is built on UK government-funded education and training. The Department for Education and the Education and Skills Funding Agency are the primary funders of SS&L's apprenticeship and 16-19 study programmes, and any operating surplus is reinvested into the organisation's community mission under its CIC structure. Most courses are fully funded with no fees for eligible learners; non-eligible community learners are charged £8 per hour, and Advanced Learner Loans are available for higher-level qualifications. Go-to-market is hybrid: self-serve direct website enrolment for individual learners, paired with a direct employer sales motion across South West employers including NHS, Somerset Council, multi-academy trusts, local authorities and SMEs.

Name

Somerset Skills & Learning

Legal name

Somerset Skills & Learning CIC

Website

https://sslcourses.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Somerset Skills & Learning CIC is a South West England social enterprise delivering government-funded apprenticeships, vocational qualifications, supported internships and community short courses to 16-24 year olds, adult learners and local employers across Somerset, Devon, Dorset and Wiltshire.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Education and Training

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Apprenticeship Training (611513), Educational Support Services (611710), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Development & Continuing Education Divisions (Noncredit) (EDAHADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Professionals (Teacher/Administrator CE, CPD) (EDAAALAE), Transition-to-College/Independence Skills Tutoring for Learning Differences (EDANAFAJ)

Keywords

• Vocational training services
• Apprenticeship programs
• Adult education courses
• Workforce development training
• Community learning provision

Headquarters

HQ city

Taunton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government-funded education and training: SS&L receives funding from the Department for Education (DfE) and the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) to deliver apprenticeship training and 16-19 education programmes. As a Community Interest Company (CIC), any surplus is reinvested into the organisation's mission rather than distributed to shareholders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Somerset Skills & Learning (SS&L) is a Community Interest Company (CIC) that delivers funded vocational education and training across the South West of England. Its core offerings combine apprenticeships and accredited qualifications with school leaver programmes, supported internships for young people with EHCPs, adult short courses, and employer-focused staff training. Programmes are delivered through digital platforms (CenturyTech, Moodle, Learning Assistant, E-Assessor) and in-person at multiple Somerset locations, with many courses fully funded by DfE/ESFA for eligible learners.

Product overview

Somerset Skills & Learning (SS&L) is an education and training provider offering a unified portfolio of vocational learning services across the South West of England. The core offering consists of Apprenticeships for individuals aged 16+ combining workplace learning with formal qualifications, and dedicated 16-24 Year Olds programmes including School Leaver Programmes, the Future Ready Programme, and Supported Internships for those with EHCPs. These are complemented by Qualifications (accredited courses from Entry Level to Level 3), Short Courses (community learning workshops at progressive levels), Learner Support services with a Health and Wellbeing Resource Hub, and Staff Training for employers. All services are delivered in partnership with local employers and funding bodies, with many courses fully funded for eligible learners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Apprenticeships Vocational training programmes for individuals aged 16+ combining work-based learning with study, enabling career development through practical workplace experience and formal qualifications. Fully funded via DfE/ESFA with apprentices paid at least the National Minimum Apprenticeship wage.
• School Leaver Programmes Educational programmes designed for 16-19 year olds to help them transition from school into further education, apprenticeships, or employment. Includes the 16-24 Year Olds programme stream.
• Future Ready Programme A programme for 16-18 year olds designed to prepare young people for future education or employment through practical skills development.
• Supported Internships Work-based learning programmes for young people aged 16-24 with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), providing structured workplace experience to help transition into employment.
• Qualifications Accredited vocational and professional qualifications ranging from Entry Level to Level 3, enabling learners to gain skills and credentials for career advancement. Many Level 3 courses are fully funded for eligible adults.
• Short Courses Community learning courses and workshops for adults across Somerset, offered at various levels (Taster, Starter, Developer, Enhancer) to help learners explore subjects and develop skills. Fully funded for eligible Somerset residents; £8 per hour for non-eligible learners.
• Staff Training Accredited training and development programmes for employers in the South West region, helping businesses upskill their workforce through various qualification pathways.
• Providing Work Experience Programmes connecting employers with young people aged 16-19 to provide workplace experience opportunities, helping them gain skills and confidence for apprenticeships or employment.

Quantifiable outcome

• SS&L learner (Dawn) passed Level 3 Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship with a distinction, reporting feeling well supported from beginning to end.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Bath Wells Multi-Academy TrustminorOthersDisplayed as a 'Proud to Work With' partner on the SS&L website. Bath Wells Multi-Academy Trust is an educational trust providing apprenticeship and staff training opportunities.
• NHSminorOthersDisplayed as a 'Proud to Work With' partner. NHS trusts across the South West engage with SS&L for apprenticeship and workforce development programmes.
• AbacusminorOthersDisplayed as a 'Proud to Work With' partner. Abacus is a local employer engaged with SS&L for training and apprenticeships.
• AvishayesminorOthersDisplayed as a 'Proud to Work With' partner. Avishayes is a local employer working with SS&L.
• Somerset CouncilminorOthersDisplayed as a 'Proud to Work With' partner. Somerset Council is a key local authority partner and employer engaged with SS&L for apprenticeships and staff training.
• FreerangerminorOthersDisplayed as a 'Proud to Work With' partner. Freeranger is a local employer engaged with SS&L for training programmes.
• Somerset Waste PartnershipminorOthersDisplayed as a 'Proud to Work With' partner. Somerset Waste Partnership is a local authority partnership working with SS&L on workforce training.
• Department for Education (DfE) / Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA)coreOthersSS&L receives funding from the DfE and its agency the ESFA to deliver apprenticeship training and 16-19 education programmes. SS&L is required to share learner personal data with DfE/ESFA for funding administration, performance monitoring, and audits.
• Awarding BodiescoreTechnology or IntegrationFor accredited courses, SS&L submits learner personal information to relevant awarding bodies to enable certification. This is a required data-sharing arrangement for all accredited qualifications.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SSLcourses/reviews
• Xx.com/sslcourses

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Somerset Skills & Learning