Education Training Company Awarded Start-Up Grant By Caerphilly County Borough Council

A new education training company aimed at supporting and developing work-trainers, tutors and assessors in the workplace has opened in Caerphilly thanks to a Business start-up grant awarded by Caerphilly County Borough Council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Panda Education and Training Ltd was launched in July 2016 and is based at the Welsh Innovation Centre for Enterprise (ICE) in Caerphilly. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

After working in post-16 education for over 17 years, Rachel Arnold and Ros Protheroe identified the need for an organisation to support and develop work based trainers, tutors and assessors in providing high quality learning delivery with impact. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The business start-up grant was awarded to Panda Education and Training Ltd jointly by Caerphilly County Borough Council and Tata Steel subsidiary UK Steel Enterprise. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Ros Protheroe, Director of Panda Education and Training Ltd said: “Training practitioners often lack confidence and expertise in learning and development skills to enable all course participants to achieve their learning goals. It is important that businesses have access to high quality, innovative training delivery to upskill their workforce, so often training has no impact. We develop trainers within organisations on how to deliver engaging, innovative training that makes a difference”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Rachel Arnold, Director of Panda Education and Training Ltd added: “As a start-up we are very pleased to be able to access the match-funded grant from Caerphilly County Borough Council. It has allowed us to purchase essentials such as business cards, a laptop, a printer and our website. We are very grateful to Caerphilly County Borough Council and UK Steel Enterprise for providing this opportunity”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Ken James, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning and Sustainable Development said: “I am thrilled that yet another business start-up has been awarded a business start-up grant by Caerphilly County Borough Council and UK Steel Enterprise. The grant provides a match-funded sum for start-up businesses to purchase essential equipment such as office supplies, website development and promotional materials. I wish Panda Education and Training Ltd the very best of luck in the future”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Martin Palmer, Investment Executive with UK Steel Enterprise said: “We are delighted to be supporting Panda in their new training enterprise and wish them luck for the future”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​