ATL – Actively Transforming Lives … and our Learners agree!
We are very proud of the positive feedback from our learners – well done to all our teaching staff who are actively transforming lives.
Achievement Training Limited is a private training organisation located in the city centre and offering a wide range of flexible educational and vocational training courses to young people and adults since 1996. The Head Office is based in Norwich Union House with additional training rooms in the Lloyds Bank Building in the city centre.
ATL currently employs around 75 staff, all of whom support learners and customers in a wide variety of ways. We hold enhanced MATRIX accreditation for both internal and external Information Advice and Guidance (IAG) and are Disability Confident employers.
The company is a full member of the Devon Cornwall & Plymouth Training Providers Network that acts as a forum for local training providers and have formed good relationships with a wide range of other external organisations, including our parent company, City College Plymouth. These partnership arrangements are extremely useful and enable ATL to provide a service to employers and learners which go beyond just training.
Managing Director Kathy Barnes
Kathy joined the business in 1998, and was promoted to MD in 2013
Context and Delivery
ATL offers a wide range of flexible educational and vocational training courses to young people and adults, many of whom have significant personal and/or educational barriers which would potentially adversely affect their attendance, retention and achievement. Our primary catchment area of the Plymouth Travel to Work area (PTTWA) includes some of the country’s highest deprivation areas and includes a high demand for basic skills needs.
ATL’s excellent reputation with local employers and employment services is a key factor in our delivery of employability. We have provided Apprenticeships since 2001 and have a wealth of knowledge and experience in delivering training that supports real progression in employment.
Our friendly and supportive staff cover a wide range of subjects, including:
- Animal Care and Management;
- Beauty, Hairdressing and Nails;
- Business Administration, Customer Services, Management & Team Leading;
- Child Care, Early Years Education and Playwork;
- Education & Training and Supporting Teaching & Learning in Schools;
- Employability and Progression into Work;
- Functional Skills and GSCEs in English and Maths;
- Health & Social Care;
- IT skills for Users and Professionals.
ATL has a central location making it accessible to everyone. With classroom, workbased and flexible delivery we provide a smaller learning environment where learners flourish and achieve their goals.
Our unique and established learner support approach has a direct impact on helping learners to overcome barriers and challenges to achieve their full potential in life and in employment.
ATLs culture of learner-centred provision ensures a holistic approach to personal development, well-being, career guidance and pastoral care throughout the learning journey.
Feedback
In 2022, we are delighted to see that 97% of learners would recommend ATL to others.
ATL learners recognise how our training develops employability skills. 98% feel their job skills have been improved. Learners enjoy training here, with 94% appreciating the way targets for progress and achievement are set and the support they receive throughout their training.
96% of learners give high praise to ATL’s support, advice and guidance services, recognising a growth in their self-confidence and understanding of their rights and responsibilities.
This has been validated annually since 2013 when ATL first gained full accreditation in the MATRIX standard, evidence that our pastoral care and careers guidance have a positive impact on learners’ ambitions, achievement and progression. We work through a ‘continuous improvement cycle’ every year with external assessors to ensure our standards remain high, with our most recent successful re-accreditation in February 2022, when our MATRIX report stated: “ATL is known for listening to its learners, and why they study there after negative experiences at school only reinforced by experience at large colleges. At ATL they are introduced to support first and foremost”.
ATL also works closely with JobCentre Plus and holds the ‘Disability Confident’ standard.