Acorn Training wins the Growth Award at the Stoke-on-Trent Live & The Sentinel Business Awards 2021

• Acorn Training scoops the prestigious Growth Award at the annual awards
• The national training provider demonstrates innovative growth plans responding to the needs of the individuals and communities it serves
• The Acorn Team praised for its diversification into the justice market and success delivering vital support services

(Friday, 23rd April 2021) Acorn Training has been recognised for their significant growth at the Stoke-on-Trent Live & The Sentinel Business Awards 2021. The annual awards are a chance for companies in the region to showcase their successes and be recognised for some of their most notable achievements over the last 12 months.

Hundreds gathered to celebrate during a lively virtual ceremony on the evening of Thursday 22^nd April where Acorn Training was successful in scooping the award.  The growth category, sponsored by Dains Accountants, brings attention to businesses that have diversified, changed, or adapted. This past year has been a crucial time for businesses, and the award organisers recognise the commitment and drive it has taken for businesses to excel and find success within the current climate. Acorn’s triumph is supported by a strong nomination entry, detailing the significant financial growth achieved through a robust and performance-driven strategy; with plans to greatly expand the company’s footprint in the markets they operate in and continue to ensure that they champion their strong values and ethos.

Based in Tunstall, Acorn Training delivers apprenticeships, skills training, employability support, youth and justice services in England, with further sites in Chesterfield, Hinckley, Coalville and Loughborough. Currently, employing over 80 staff and achieving significant growth over the last 4 years enabled a most recent market analysis report to identify and evidence Acorn Training as the fastest growing training provider in the United Kingdom.

In 2016, leaders successfully diversified the business into a new justice market and have grown this to a successful new division. This includes an information, advice and guidance service supporting ex-offenders back into the community and at HMP Stafford. This local contract win was particularly important to Acorn Training as our well-established and ex-offender friendly employer network in Staffordshire enables us to be well placed in ensuring ex-offenders secure sustainable employment with understanding and supportive employers, breaking the cycle of re-offending.

Gareth Fallows, Managing Director, comments on the accolade “We are ecstatic to win this prestigious award, Acorn has had a few tough years but we have really bounced back. We have a very strong team that I’m really proud of, this award is recognition of their hard work and passion for supporting the most vulnerable in society. We have been able to build on our success, diversifying into new areas such as the justice market, it has been a challenging market to crack but with our robust growth strategy, strong core values and dedicated staff, we have been able to implement our services within prisons across the UK. We are extremely proud of how far we have come and look forward to what the future holds for Acorn Training”.

As Acorn Training enters a period of diversifying, innovating and growing, spearheading opportunities to get the UK back to work, the business plans aim to build significantly on a strong local presence, instituting high levels of social value, supporting local people with employment and upskilling through robust corporate social responsibility and community-based initiatives. New Acorn Training centres will open in Hanley and Burton upon Trent later this year, continuing to support the equality of opportunity and ensuring all people are provided with the same opportunities in life, no matter their background.

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Notes to editors

Acorn Training is a national training provider delivering apprenticeships, online courses, employability programmes, justice services, skills & career development. To learn more about the organisation and its offerings, please visit: https://www.acorntraining.co.uk/ or follow on social media: Instagram: @Acorn_training_ltd Twitter: @AcornTrainingUK LinkedIn: Acorn Training Ltd Facebook: Acorn Training UK