A trio of training providers have found space for more than 100 engineering apprentices who were left stranded by the closure of an Aberdeen organisation.
North East Scotland College, Tullos Training and Peterhead Engineers Development have agreed to take on 122 apprentices in the wake of ITCA’s demise late last year.
A total of 124 trainees were hit by ITCA’s liquidation, which put 10 staff members out of work.
One of the trainees has found an apprenticeship elsewhere, while another has chosen to drop out.
ITCA opened in the north-east in 1989 and became one of the biggest engineering apprenticeship firms in Scotland.
But the centre was hit hard by the downturn and the subsequent drop in spending on training programmes, as well as an increase in business rates.
The organisation tried to lower its cost base, but its efforts ultimately fell short.
Katie Hutton, national training programmes director at Skills Development Scotland (SDS), said co-operation between employers and apprentices, and the high standard of records kept by ITCA, had made the transition process relatively smooth.
Ms Hutton said: “The team at SDS worked hard to ensure employers’ and apprentices’ needs were met in order to find the best alternative training providers.
“We are delighted that all those needing support have been helped and we hope to have all the paperwork completed by the end of January.”
Mick Beavers, managing director of Control Valve Solutions, said: “It was very difficult to accept the loss of ITCA last year. We had been associated with them for a many years and had various trainees engaged at the time of closure.
“Thankfully SDS stepped in and supported us in transitioning our trainees to Tullos Training. I am pleased with the speed and professionalism with which the situation was handled. I look forward to working with our new training provider.”