Peer MeetUp brings trainers together

EDUCATION professionals and training providers from all over the country have been discussing challenges and opportunities facing the sector.

More than 40 training providers came together for a Peer MeetUp session at the offices of Birmingham based training provider The Pathway Group.

The Peer MeetUp is an initiative by Pathway2Grow and attendance is restricted to professionals within the sector.

It was sponsored by the ICQ Awarding Body and topics discussed included the Apprenticeship Levy, Cyber Security and the role of schools in promoting apprenticeships.

The workshop was told about concerns of a reduction in the number of training providers and the number of warnings issued by the Education and Skills Funding Agency for breaching minimum standards in apprenticeship training.

“Peer MeetUp is different from traditional networking in that it is not a public event and is open to invitees only from the sector who can learn from each other and explore ways to collaborate,” said Safaraz Ali, the founder of the initiative.

“The training sector is going through a period of major change and many aspects of the future remain unclear. Therefore, providing a support group can be very useful.”

At the Birmingham event questions were asked about the opportunities for partnering, the impact of the apprenticeship levy and other sources of funding.

It is intended at that Peer MeetUp sessions will take place several times a year. Events have been held in London and now in Birmingham with plans for future events in Sheffield.

There have been five meetings of the group in London and the next is scheduled to take place in July.

The meeting in Birmingham was the first outside the capital and there will be a Peer MeetUp in Sheffield in September.