Stoke-on-Trent training provider celebrates 20 years of supporting learners

As it celebrates its 20^th birthday, Staffordshire training provider @AcaciaTraining is celebrating a major milestone after training more than 35,000 learners.  

The Trentham-based firm has also trained 25,000 apprentices and worked with more than 7,000 employers since it was founded as a family-run company in September 2000.  

To mark the 20^th anniversary, the company has donated to 20 global causes to improve access to healthcare and education. They include educating a child with special needs in Nepal, equipping a child with a filled school bag in Ukraine, empowering women with literacy and business skills in Uganda and providing library books in Cambodia.  

Acacia Training provides apprenticeships, short courses and government-funded qualifications in health, social care, early years, beauty, dental nursing, business and management. The company was founded by former nurse Victoria Sylvester and her mum Anne Littleton in September 2000. As the owners of a care home, the duo were frustrated at the lack of high quality training to meet their needs – so they decided to start their own training company, specialising in health and social care.  

From humble beginnings, it has grown from two founding members to 80 staff. Clients range from individual learners to colleges, dental surgeries, care companies, nurseries and beauty salons, to local authorities and the NHS. It has trained more than 1,200 people across the world in Mental Health First Aid.  

In 2017, Acacia Training merged with a PLC, now known as MBH Corporation, and two years later Victoria was voted on to MBH’s Board as an Executive Director. 

Victoria, who won Entrepreneur of the Year at the Sentinel Business Awards in July, says:

“Mum and I both worked in the care sector and experienced the struggle to recruit and retain quality care staff. We wanted to improve access to high-quality training, so we decided to set up our own company. I never imagined that 20 years later we’d be training more than 3,500 learners each year across a range of sectors.”  

Victoria adds: “Despite our expansion, we’ve still maintained that family feel and remain passionate about supporting our employees and learners and ensuring that people gain the skills they need to thrive in their chosen career.”   

Acacia Training was one of the first organisations in the UK to gain ‘disability confident leader’ status and was awarded silver status by HealthWorks Stoke-on-Trent, which recognises organisations that promote and support workplace health and wellbeing.  

Victoria says: “As a company, social responsibility is extremely important to us. We also support forces veterans through our work with local charities and signing the armed forces covenant to ensure we are able to support those leaving the army, navy and RAF. More recently we joined the B1G1 initiative which encourages our whole team to nominate global causes, and I use my own salary to donate funds to that cause. This year we wanted to do something extra for our 20^th birthday and donating to 20 causes seemed a fitting way to extend our commitment to making a difference and celebrate all the team’s achievements to date.”  

Victoria adds: “I’d like to say a big thank you to all our staff, clients and learners, partners and suppliers who have been a part of this 20-year journey. We are more passionate than ever about our commitment to supporting people into jobs and apprenticeships through skills, knowledge and education.”