Partner Article

Bdaily meets Malcolm Armstrong of Access Training

Bdaily talked to Malcolm Armstrong, managing director of Access Training, a training provider based in Gateshead, and Chairman of the Tyne, Wear and Northumberland Association of Learning Providers.

What is your career history to date?

I did a degree in education at Durham University and then taught for a couple of years in a number of Sunderland schools. I moved into the training sector in 1982 when unemployment was higher than it is now. I taught employability skills and helped young people to find their first jobs. I found
it really rewarding and I’m pleased to say I’m still helping young people to start successful careers nearly 30 years later.

I joined English Estates YTS in 1983 as a training officer and was always very ambitious. Following a series of promotions, I ended up as managing director of the company in 1996 which had by then changed its name to Access Training.

I loved the company so much that I ended up buying it in 2007, which was a massive step, but one that I’ve never regretted. I’m also Chairman of the Tyne, Wear and Northumberland Association of Learning Providers and of the Gateshead Collective – a consortium of local training providers.

What is your current job title and what does your role entail?

I’m managing director of Access Training. As you’d expect, this involves mainly planning the future direction of the company. I keep a close eye on all aspects of the business as well as oversee our contracts with the Skills Funding Agency.

An important part of what I do is networking and I’m also an ambassador for vocational training in the region. Almost 75% of the budget for apprenticeships in the north east is delivered by independent training providers. I represent 43 learning providers in my role as Chairman of the Tyne, Wear and Northumberland Association of Learning Providers. My job with the Association is to help providers prosper by ensuring they have direct and regular contact with the government funding bodies and encouraging the sharing of best practice and collaborative working.

What will be the big success story for your business in 2012?

We had an Ofsted inspection last month and we are very pleased with the results so this is a fantastic start to the year. Ultimately though, the two big successes this year will be our new training services for the unemployed and the launch of our Partnerships division. We have already signed a £2m contract with Durham Training and MPH and we are in talks with a few other providers on other potential partnership arrangements.

What has been your biggest business challenge to date?

Without a doubt our biggest challenge is making sense of the raft of emerging new government policies on further education. There are a number of new initiatives coming out and some clash with the aims and objectives of others. Part of the problem is that the various government departments involved don’t listen enough to the industry. Part of the solution is for the government to take a step back and properly consult those on the ground, rather than rushing in new, ill-thought-through ideas.

What do you believe will be the challenge and the biggest opportunity for your sector in the next 12 months?

Apprenticeships are the biggest opportunity. But also the biggest challenge. Precisely what I mean by this is that we are going to have to help employers and learners – adult learners at least - understand that they are going to be expected to contribute more towards their apprentices and qualifications. Although there is well publicised additional funding for apprenticeships, in actual fact the government expects more apprenticeship places for that cash than they have in the past – they want ‘more for less’ and that’s a challenge that can’t be underestimated.

What has been your proudest professional moment to date?

Achieving the Training Quality Standard (TQS) was an extremely proud moment because it was so tough to achieve. Very few providers managed to get it and we are the only training company in Tyne and Wear to have it.

Who, or what, has inspired you most in your professional career?

Lots of people have inspired me throughout my career. I love people who are naturally hard working and professional and I’ve worked with lots of people at Access who are both. My parents worked their socks off, both holding down part time jobs as well as full time jobs and working well past
retirement age. While my wife regularly works 12 hour days as head teacher of a primary school – that’s pretty inspirational.

Outside of the workplace, what is your main passion?

Other than my family, it has to be Carlisle United Football Club. The club’s in my blood. My mam was even a club landlady for a while, so we had a stream of players staying with us, which made me quite popular with my friends at school. My passion as a fan has never wavered despite me moving to Tyneside. I go to every home game and as many away games as I can - dragging along my, now grown-up, kids whenever possible.

If you weren’t in your current position what would you be doing now?

I’d probably be back in teaching – it would definitely have to be something which involves people.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Malcolm Armstrong .