A leading business, based in Manchester city centre, has changed hands as part of a regional acquisition strategy which will open doors for further global expansion and trade, combining forces under the Northern Powerhouse umbrella, in the field of education and employment.

Pitman Training was involved in the discussions around the Northern Powerhouse, which were held in Malaysia earlier in the year, led by Prime Minister David Cameron.  Pitman has acquired one of its franchised centres in Manchester, in a bid to create a strengthened alliance with its current Head Office in the North East and the acquisition follows the establishment of a Pitman Training Group owned training centre in Leeds city centre earlier in the year.

Pitman Training Manchester, based in Arthur House, Chorlton Street, Manchester, provides local businesses with the opportunity to increase efficiency, productivity and profit, whilst also offering individuals the pathway to obtaining salary increases and promotions as a direct result of gaining up to date vocational skills, which are in demand with employers.

With owned centres in Leeds and now Manchester, the Wetherby based training company has been taking the franchise world by storm, securing 9 new centres across both UK and international locations over 2015 so far.

Further testament to the success of the UK Business Superbrand™, which has been leading the way in vocational training since 1837, is the announcement of its ongoing support and involvement with 'The Great Year of Education' – David Cameron’s new educational campaign, in which Malaysia and the UK have renewed their commitment to enhance key areas of trade, education and investment.

Following his discussions with Sajid Javid (UK Secretary of State) and being asked for input at a round table discussion with Malaysian Government education representatives in Kuala Lumpar, Andrew Walters, Director at Pitman Training Group, has confirmed that he will be now working with UK Trade & Investment in Malaysia to register courses on the Malaysian framework. Additionally, Andrew confirms that Pitman is looking to work with local government to assist with the Malaysian plan to get Women (particularly Mums) back into work through a scheme called HEARTS (Housewives Enhancement and Reactive Talent Scheme).

Claire Lister, Managing Director at Pitman Training Group said; “Manchester is a thriving commercial centre and an ideal location for a Pitman Training centre as it has a flourishing business landscape, which is really starting to build momentum and becoming recognised on a wider scale. It harnesses a great network of dedicated professionals in all sectors of industry, who are determined and passionate to not only push themselves to the heights of career success, but also take pride in the success and evolvement of the companies they work for and the city of Manchester  as a whole.  We work closely with a wide range of employers to provide training and development for their teams, and the centre has proved to be a popular location for hosting examinations for a wide range of organisations and awarding bodies.”

Claire continued: “The centre will be a great base for A/B testing on everything from new course material to marketing initiatives, and enables us, as the franchisor, to gain a clearer vision of the day to day life of a Pitman Training Franchise partner, and the operations at ground level. With this deeper insight, Pitman Training will be better placed to implement effective business strategies to further enhance the growth of the business across the network. This is an initiative which is being highly supported by our existing network of franchise partners.”

Daniel Goodall, Regional Manager at Pitman Training Manchester, said: “Our focus is to assist the city’s professionals with their career progression, and also enhance the skills which they contribute to the success of local businesses, and the commercial triumph of the region as a whole. We are very much looking forward to trialling and integrating new initiatives and business strategies to see what works at the centre, to enable the Pitman brand to continue innovating.”

Alongside their new owned Centre in Manchester, Pitman Training has so far welcomed new partners from Zimbabwe, Hastings, Northampton and the Cayman Islands, to its franchise network this year. There are many exciting franchise opportunities available in several areas throughout the UK, including Chester, Sheffield and Leicester as well as opportunities overseas.