21 TRAINING
Training at forefront of dynamic skills development and employability support CONNECTED recently sat down with one of the newest training and employment support providers in the North West, 21 Training, and heard how the company is equipping its participants to succeed for the future whilst also assisting local business growth through its mission ‘Building Future You for Lifelong Success’. 21 Training was launched following the successful amalgamation of two training providers with proven track records, Strabane Training Services and Customized Training Services. The organisation currently employs over 60 staff, and was awarded the prestigious SME Innovation Award by the Department for the Economy in 2020, in recognition of its innovative and collaborative approach to apprenticeship delivery in the development of a bespoke City & Guilds programme with Specialist Joinery Group. Chaired by Kieran Kennedy MBE, the team at 21 Training believes in creating a supportive and friendly
learning environment for all abilities. The organisation is strategically positioned across five offices covering Derry~Londonderry, Strabane, Omagh, Enniskillen, and Coleraine, to ensure all potential participants in the North West can study locally to improve their future career prospects.
21 Training ethos The 21 Training approach is underpinned by three core principles - aspire, evolve, and achieve. Speaking exclusively to CONNECTED, Managing Director at 21 Training, Mia Coyle, explains the ethos that drives the organisation. “We want our participants to aspire
Mia Coyle, Managing Director; Kieran Kennedy, Chair; and Debbie Deans, Business Development Director
towards the individual they wish to become. We nurture them as they evolve and secure nationally recognised qualifications”, explains Mia. “Importantly, as an outcomes focused organisation, we help our participants, whether they are a school leaver, job seeker, or an employee to achieve their career dreams.” “Our organisation has the capacity and track record to be at the forefront of skills development. Our team has a deep understanding of the area we operate within, uniquely positioning us to work with those traditionally hard-to-reach audiences such as young people and the unemployed.”
Success through Apprenticeship
21 Training provides the most up-to-date training for all sectors
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21 Training Chairman Kieran Kennedy knows himself what it is like to benefit from the kind of programmes 21 Training currently provide, such as apprenticeships. “As a former apprentice myself, starting at O’Neills Irish International Sports Company Limited at just 16, I fully understand the benefit an apprenticeship pathway can offer someone looking to develop both themselves and their career prospects.”
