There are many types of training provider in East Anglia, as with any region within the UK. Training for individuals and those within business can broadly be broken down into five main areas, which fits well with how we have created this article.
- Continual Professional Development via Private Training Providers
- Further Education offered by Universities and Colleges
- Skills Bootcamps – Intensive skills-based programmes usually offered by private individuals
- Small business training – Often overlooked, but an asset to any business eco-system. Offering general small business training for founders, owners and management teams.
- Apprenticeships offering in employment opportunities coupled with intensive learning opportunities to teach a skill or trade.
Continual Professional Development via Private Training Providers
Continual Professional Development is the proactive dedication from an individual to continue to enhance their skills in a work-based environment to allow them to better cope with the demands of their job today or prepare for the demands of tomorrow.
Many employers offer continual professional development as part of employment, allowing employees to utilise this resource to continue to develop their skillsets over the course of their career. If you haven’t already, asking your employer about the opportunities to drive your continual professional development may open several opportunities you weren’t aware of.
CPD Providers in East Anglia
Our top pick of continual professional development providers in the East of England is Turning Factor. Turning Factor offer a number of courses, with our current top picks being Transition to Management (ILM Level 2) an excellent course aimed at staff moving into a Team Leader or first time Line Manager role. Another excellent choice is the Project Management Essentials course. Perfect for companies who are running business process redesign projects.
Other notable providers of CPD within East Anglia are:
- Inspiration Trust – https://www.inspirationtrust.org/ – Offering CPD courses for Teachers and the education sector.
- RICS – https://www.rics.org/uk/training-events/east/ – CPD courses related to the construction and surveying industry.
- Poultec – poultec.co.uk/ – Offering short courses in Health and Safety, Food Safety, Butchery, and more. Mostly focused in the food sector, however some spill over into IT and teaching.
Further Education offered by Universities and Colleges
Many people will instantly consider universities and colleges for their further education credentials. Whilst the mind may instantly move to undergraduate, full-time studies. There is so much more on offer from such organisations, such as part time, executive MBA studies and even elements of CPD courses. East Anglia has a host of exceptional universities and colleges.
Our top pick has to be the University of East Anglia with their part-time, executive MBA. Not least because it is where several of our directors and consultants studied, but also because it is an excellent course.
Other colleges and education institutions in the East Anglia include:
- Norwich University of the Arts – nua.ac.uk/ – a creative college offering some incredible courses particularly around game design.
- West Suffolk College – wsc.ac.uk/ – offering recognised and accredited level 2 to level 6 courses across a range of disciplines.
- Norfolk Community College – norfolkcommunitycollege.co.uk/ – community funded support for individuals focussing on dealing with debt, increasing confidence and employability skills.
- City College Norwich – ccn.ac.uk/ – Offering level 2 to level 7 courses within Norwich.
Skills Bootcamps
Skills bootcamps offer an intensive programmatic approach to learning. Taking individuals from a base where they may know little, or nothing in a certain area, to be employable with a certain skillset. Bootcamps have been heavily publicised and promoted by the government with millions being promoted into the sector.
We simply have to shoutout the two main coding bootcamps offered by Tech Educators, The first is of course the incredible MERN Full Stack coding bootcamp, powered by coding bootcamp juggernaught, CodeFellows. The second bootcamp of note is the web3 and blockchain coding bootcamp, powered by ChainShot. Both courses are ran and available in person, in a dedicated office space, with a dedicated instructor, in Norwich.
Other notable bootcamps in the East Anglia include:
- Learning Curve Group and their construction, rail and digital bootcamps.
- Growth Works with Skills and their gaming bootcamp – https://www.growthworkswithskills.com/skillsbootcamps/
Small Business Training and Support
Smaller businesses have access to a whole host of options when it comes to training and development and East Anglia is no exception to this rule. When starting a small business, there are so many areas that are needed to be considered, that taking the time to review, develop and grow is imperative.
Our top pick is so difficult, we cannot pick one, because there are so many support structures doing amazing work. In that spirit, we are going to mention a few of what we consider the very best.
If you haven’t heard about the business incubator we run in the heart of Norwich City, we recommend that you look. We offer full on-hand structured consultancy and office space for incubated companies and have great alumni doing amazing things such as Readingmate and The Forest of Memories. We also offer a start-up bootcamp programme covering the essentials, covering what you will need to know before starting.
Hethel Innovation offer incubation space also, with a wide range of excellent free and paid for support. Their ‘Get Aglie in a Day’ course is superb. We cannot recommend it highly enough and it is absolutely free. What is not to love.
New Anglia LEP offer a series of mentoring and support for small businesses funded by the ERDF – their programme will place businesses with experienced mentors for a programme of support for their business.
Apprenticeships
The apprenticeship model has been an excellent opportunity for individuals to learn ‘on the job’, getting paid whilst receiving the hard skills needed for a long and successful career. Apprenticeships have, do, and will continue to be a cornerstone of creating talent pipelines for tomorrow. East Anglia has an excellent dearth of apprenticeship providers, and it isn’t for us to name a clear cut stand out recommendation simply because, they all offer an excellent service.
Providers of apprenticeships in the East Anglia include:
- Apprenticeships New Anglia – https://www.apprenticeshipsnewanglia.co.uk/ – offers an excellent search feature to review all apprenticeships on offer within your postcode.
- Eastern Region Training – easternregiontraining.co.uk – construction-based apprenticeships including carpentry, roofing and slate and tile.
- West Suffolk College – https://www.wsc.ac.uk/find-a-course/apprenticeships – offering a range of apprenticeships. From business and accounting, construction, engineering, childcare, through to mechanics and teaching. There is something for everyone.
- College of West Anglia – https://cwa.ac.uk/apprenticeships – Including Animal Care, Computing, Childhood studies and so many more, again CWA offers a huge variety of apprenticeships.