Realise Learning and Employment

What Realise Learning and Employment does

Realise Learning and Employment Limited is a UK private training provider delivering government-funded apprenticeships and adult education programmes across England. Founded approximately 1985 and headquartered in Sheffield, the company operates a network of over 500 in-house trainers and trains around 18,300 learners annually across five principal verticals: early years and education, health and social care, business solutions, transport, and public sector. Its named employer base spans NHS bodies, the Ministry of Defence, Barchester, United Response, Stagecoach, DHL, Screwfix, Greater Anglia and Lithia UK, alongside individual learners recruited via a direct-to-consumer funnel.

The product portfolio centres on three streams: Apprenticeship Programmes funded through the Government's Apprenticeship Service and the Apprenticeship Levy (with 95% government co-funding for smaller businesses), Local Courses covering English, maths, digital and employability skills delivered through combined authority contracts, and Accredited Qualifications issued in partnership with awarding bodies such as Highfield and the Association for Project Management. The platform is described as a blended learning model combining sector-specific trainer expertise with digital learning tools; no proprietary technology stack, software product, or API is offered externally. Delivery is direct via the in-house trainer workforce, with channel partnerships across six Combined Authorities (Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, West Midlands, Tees Valley, Liverpool City Region) plus Devon County Council, and central government bodies including the ESFA, DfE and DWP.

Revenue is not publicly disclosed but is structurally derived from public funding streams: apprenticeship levy contributions, ESFA-administered co-funding for non-levy payers, and Combined Authority adult education budgets. The company holds Ofsted listing, Skills for Care endorsement, Matrix Standard, ISO 27001, ISO 9001, and Cyber Essentials Plus certifications. Multiple Great Place to Work awards (2022), Stonewall Diversity Champions status, and Armed Forces Covenant signatory status support employer-of-choice positioning for trainer recruitment. No external investor, parent company, or M&A activity is disclosed; the entity operates as an independent private limited company.

Name

Realise Learning and Employment

Legal name

Realise Learning & Employment Limited

Website

https://learning-employment.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Realise Learning and Employment is a UK private training provider delivering government-funded apprenticeships and adult education across England via 500+ in-house trainers, serving employers in health, early years, transport, retail, and public sectors alongside individual learners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Training and Apprenticeship Services

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Apprenticeship Training (611513), Technical and Trade Schools (61151)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Incumbent Worker Training & Upskilling (EDAAAOAE), Employer-Led Workforce Partnerships & Sector Strategies (EDAAAOAB), Community College / Training Provider Workforce Pathways Programs (EDAAAOAO), Industry Credential, Certification & Badge Prep (Non-Degree) (EDAMAKAH)

Keywords

• Apprenticeship training
• Adult education programmes
• Vocational qualifications
• Workforce development
• Sector-specific training

Headquarters

HQ city

South Otterington

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government-funded Apprenticeships: Apprenticeship training funded through the Government's Apprenticeship Service. Employers fund through apprenticeship levy, or for smaller businesses 95% of cost covered by Government. Learners do not contribute financially.
2. Adult Education Programmes: Adult skills programmes including English, maths, digital and employability courses, funded through government and combined authorities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Realise Learning and Employment delivers government-funded apprenticeship programmes and adult education courses across England through a network of more than 500 in-house trainers. The portfolio spans sector-specific vocational training in early years, health and social care, business solutions, transport and the public sector, alongside accredited qualifications awarded by bodies such as Highfield and APM. Training is delivered under regulated funding via the Government's Apprenticeship Service, employer apprenticeship levy contributions, and combined authority contracts.

Product overview

Realise Learning and Employment is a training provider offering a portfolio of vocational education programmes across multiple sectors. The core offerings consist of Apprenticeship Programmes (funded through the government Apprenticeship Service or employer levy), Local Courses (adult education including English, maths, digital and employability skills), and Accredited Qualifications. These are delivered through a network of over 500 trainers across sector-specific programmes covering Early Years, Health and Social Care, Business Solutions, Transport, and Public Sector. The company partners with government agencies, combined authorities, and employers to deliver regulated and funded training programmes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Apprenticeship Programmes Government-funded and apprenticeship levy-funded vocational training programmes delivered across multiple sectors including early years, health and social care, business, transport and the public sector, aimed at UK employers and individual learners.
• Local Courses (Adult Education) Adult education programmes covering English, maths, digital and employability courses, funded through government and combined authority contracts and aimed at individual learners seeking career progression.
• Accredited Qualifications Recognised vocational qualifications delivered through partnerships with awarding bodies including Highfield and the Association for Project Management (APM), available to both employers and individual learners.
• Early Years and Education Training Specialist apprenticeship and workforce development programmes for the early years and education sector, covering long-term recruitment needs and embedding of business values for nurseries and pre-school providers.
• Health and Social Care Training CQC-aligned and Skills for Care endorsed apprenticeship and training programmes for health and social care organisations, addressing workforce retention and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Business Solutions Training Customised business training programmes tailored to employer-specific operational needs, covering leadership, business skills and sector-specific capabilities through apprenticeship pathways.
• Transport Sector Training Apprenticeship and training programmes for the transport sector, addressing driver training, recruitment and retention, with training costs funded via the Apprenticeship Levy.
• Public Sector Training Training programmes for public sector organisations covering stakeholder management, risk management and partnership development.
• Future Talent Pledge Employer pledge programme through which organisations commit to developing future talent via apprenticeships and training delivered by Realise.

Quantifiable outcome

• 18,300+ learners trained annually
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Greater Manchester Combined AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivery partner for adult education and skills programmes across Greater Manchester region, providing funded training initiatives.
• West Yorkshire Combined AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner delivering training programmes and supporting workforce development in West Yorkshire.
• West Midlands Combined AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivery partner for skills and employment programmes in the West Midlands region.
• Tees Valley Combined AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner for training and employment initiatives in Tees Valley.
• Liverpool City Region Combined AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for skills and training delivery in Liverpool City Region.
• Devon County CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal authority partner for education and training programmes in Devon.
• UK Government (DfE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDepartment for Education partner for apprenticeship and education programme delivery.
• ESFAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation and Skills Funding Agency partner for apprenticeship and adult education funding.
• NHScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Health Service partner for healthcare training and workforce development.
• Department for Work and PensionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for employment and skills programmes.
• Skills for CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEndorsed provider status for health and social care training, recognised as a quality training provider in the care sector.
• HighfieldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccreditation partner for recognised qualifications and training standards.
• Train 4 TomorrowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining initiative partner for future skills development.
• Confederation of Passenger TransportminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry body partner for passenger transport sector training.
• NADSLminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Association of Designated Safeguarding Leads partner for safeguarding training.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lifetime Training: One of the largest UK apprenticeship and adult education training providers, operating across multiple sectors with government-funded and levy-funded delivery — directly comparable to Realise's model and customer mix.
• Estio Training: UK specialist apprenticeship provider focused on digital/IT and business programmes using Apprenticeship Levy funding — competing for the same employer relationships in the digital apprenticeship segment.
• Remit Training: UK-based apprenticeship and vocational training provider serving employers across multiple sectors with levy-funded programmes — closely comparable to Realise's core apprenticeship delivery business.
• Babcock Training: Babcock's training division delivers UK apprenticeships and skills programmes across health, public services and technical sectors — directly overlapping Realise's enterprise/government apprenticeship offerings.

Broad incumbents

• City & Guilds: UK awarding body and training provider group operating apprenticeship programmes and vocational qualifications — adjacent incumbent that both regulates and competes with providers like Realise.
• Kaplan UK: Broad UK professional education and apprenticeship provider across multiple sectors, including accountancy, financial services and professional skills — overlapping with Realise's business-solutions apprenticeship lines.
• BPP Professional Education: UK professional education provider with apprenticeship and professional development programmes for employers and learners — competing in the professional/business apprenticeship segment.

Regional players

• Weston College: Large South West England further education college delivering apprenticeship and adult skills programmes with government funding — comparable regional training provider competing for similar learners and employer relationships.
• New College Durham: North East England further education college delivering apprenticeships and adult education programmes — regional competitor for combined authority contracts in the Tees Valley area where Realise also operates.

Others

• DHL (training partner ecosystem): Included as both a named Realise customer and ecosystem example; large UK employers running multi-region apprenticeship programmes anchor the demand side of the levy-funded market Realise serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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

Compliance3 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 Realise Learning and Employment