Skills Group

What Skills Group does

Skills Group is a private vocational training provider headquartered in Plympton, Plymouth, United Kingdom, in operation since 1998 under the legal name 'Skills to Group Limited' (registered in England and Wales, company number 02875213). The company delivers apprenticeships, full-time vocational courses, and pre-apprenticeship Study Programmes across six sectors — Automotive, Business Administration, Childcare, Construction, Hairdressing, and Teaching & Education — at qualification levels ranging from Level 2 to Level 3. Delivery combines face-to-face instruction at purpose-built training facilities in Plymouth (8-9 Derry's Cross, PL1 2SG) and Plympton (Western Wood Way, PL7 5BG) with online learning components and workplace placements across a network of over 200 regional employer partners in Devon and Cornwall.

The business model is built on government-funded apprenticeship training. For non-levy paying employers (annual pay bill under £3 million), 95–100% of training fees are funded by the Government depending on business size and apprentice age, with a 5% employer co-contribution for apprentices aged 22 and over. Levy-paying employers fund training through their 0.5% apprenticeship levy contribution. Additional funding flows from the Education and Skills Funding Agency and the European Social Fund. The company also serves levy-paying employers with organisational training analysis, bespoke apprenticeship design, and dedicated business advisor account management. A dual-sided go-to-market recruits learners aged 16–24 through school partnerships, community engagement, open days, and parent-facing content, while employer relationships are built via direct outreach and dedicated account management.

Customer concentration is broad — over 200 employer partners are predominantly small and micro businesses (salons, garages, construction firms, childcare settings), and learner cohorts are funded through government streams rather than enterprise contracts. The company holds an OFSTED 'Good' rating, the AAC Awards Construction Apprenticeship Provider of the Year 2019/20, and is the first training provider in Devon and Cornwall to achieve membership of the Chartered Institution for Further Education. Operations are concentrated entirely in the South West of England; there is no evidence of international or national geographic expansion.

Name

Skills Group

Legal name

Skills to Group Limited

Website

https://skillsgroupuk.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Skills Group is a Plymouth-based vocational training provider delivering apprenticeships, full-time courses, and study programmes across six sectors for learners aged 16-24. Revenue is primarily government-funded through apprenticeship schemes and 200+ regional employer partnerships across Devon and Cornwall.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Training and Apprenticeships

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Job Placement, Matching & Career Navigation Services (EDAAAOAL), Employer-Led Workforce Partnerships & Sector Strategies (EDAAAOAB), Work-Based Learning Programs (Internships, Apprenticeships, Community-Based Instruction) (EDAKANAF), Experiential Learning & Internships/Co-ops (EDALABAG)

Keywords

• Vocational training
• Apprenticeship programs
• Workforce development
• Technical education
• Skills training

Headquarters

HQ city

Plympton

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government-Funded Apprenticeship Training: Skills Group generates revenue primarily through government-funded apprenticeship programmes. For non-levy paying employers (annual pay bill under £3 million), 95-100% of apprenticeship training fees are funded by the Government depending on business size and apprentice age. For levy-paying employers, training is funded through their levy contributions.
2. Employer Co-Contribution: Non-levy paying employers contribute 5% towards training and assessment costs for apprentices aged 22 and over, with the government covering the remaining 95%. This creates a predictable revenue stream from employer partnerships.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Skills Group delivers apprenticeships and full-time vocational courses across the South West of England, partnering with 200+ regional employers to provide workplace training across Automotive, Construction, Hairdressing, Childcare, Business Administration, and Teaching sectors. The company operates state-of-the-art training facilities in Plymouth and Plympton, offering industry-recognised qualifications from Level 2 to Level 3 alongside pre-apprenticeship Study Programmes and comprehensive learner support including SEND services.

Product overview

Skills Group is a vocational training provider specialising in apprenticeships and full-time courses across the South West of England. The organisation operates a multi-product portfolio consisting of its core apprenticeship programmes spanning Automotive, Business Administration, Childcare, Construction, Hairdressing, and Teaching & Education sectors at various qualification levels (Level 2-3). Supporting these core offerings are pre-apprenticeship Study Programmes in Hairdressing, Construction, Child Care, and Automotive designed to prepare learners who need additional foundation training before committing to apprenticeships. The company also provides comprehensive learner support services including SEND support, safeguarding, and pastoral care. Skills Group partners with over 200 regional employers to deliver workplace training and utilises state-of-the-art training facilities in Plymouth and Plympton for practical skills development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Apprenticeships Vocational apprenticeship programmes combining practical work experience with structured learning, enabling learners aged 16-24 to earn while they learn and gain industry-recognised Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications across Automotive, Business Administration, Construction, Hairdressing, Childcare, and Teaching & Education sectors. Delivered in partnership with 200+ regional employers across Devon and Cornwall.

Quantifiable outcome

• Many apprentices progress onto management positions or start their own businesses employing apprentices themselves
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Education and Skills Funding AgencycoreOthersGovernment body that funds apprenticeship training. Skills Group receives government funding through this agency for apprenticeship delivery.
• European Social FundcoreOthersEuropean funding body co-contributing to Skills Group's training programmes and apprenticeship initiatives.
• 200+ South West EmployerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional employer network across Devon and Cornwall including construction companies, automotive garages, hairdressing salons, childcare settings, and schools. Employers provide workplace training opportunities and often hire apprentices upon completion.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Baltic Apprenticeships: National independent apprenticeship provider delivering programmes across sectors including construction, automotive, business and care. Comparable business model of placing apprentices with regional employers and providing funded training.
• Lifetime Training: One of the UK's largest independent apprenticeship providers, offering training across multiple sectors to learners and employers nationwide. Directly comparable as an apprenticeship training provider serving both learners and levy-paying employers.
• Estio Training: UK apprenticeship provider with a strong digital/tech and business administration focus, offering Level 3-4 apprenticeships. Comparable as a regional-to-national apprenticeship training business serving both levy and non-levy employers.
• Paragon Skills: Independent UK apprenticeship provider delivering programmes across care, business administration, dental and other sectors. Comparable as a similarly sized independent apprenticeship training business operating on government-funded contracts.

Regional players

• Weston College: Further education college in Somerset offering apprenticeships across construction, automotive, care and business. Comparable as a neighbouring South West training institution targeting similar vocational sectors and employer base.
• Exeter College: Further education college in Devon offering vocational courses and apprenticeships across multiple sectors. Comparable as a South West-based training provider competing for the same regional learner and employer pool.
• Truro and Penwith College: Cornwall-based further education college delivering vocational courses and apprenticeships. Comparable as a directly overlapping training provider within the same Devon and Cornwall catchment area.

Broad incumbents

• QA Apprenticeships: One of the UK's largest apprenticeship and tech training providers, formed in part by acquisition of WhiteHat. Comparable as a large multi-sector apprenticeship provider with a hybrid digital/classroom delivery model.
• Kaplan UK: Large established education and training provider offering apprenticeships, professional qualifications and accountancy training. Comparable as a multi-sector apprenticeship provider with broader portfolio than Skills Group.
• City & Guilds: Major UK vocational awarding body and training provider delivering apprenticeships and technical qualifications across industries. Comparable as a sector-spanning apprenticeship and vocational training organisation, though it operates at substantially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Skills_Group
• Facebookfacebook.com/skillsgroupuk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/skills-group-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Skills Group