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May 2021

Skills Training UK

Bridges Fund Management

Adviser to Skills Training UK on their majority sale to Bridges Fund Management

£undisclosed

Grant Thornton team

Keely Woodley
Head of Deals Advisory & Consulting

Education

Sell side

Corporate finance

We are delighted to have advised Skills Training UK on their majority sale to Bridges Fund Management.

Skills Training UK is a multiple award-winning independent training provider at the forefront of thinking and policy in skills, education and employability. Established in 1992 it has a proven track record of continued growth and achievement in partnering with employers nationally to design and deliver bespoke, sector specific Apprenticeships programmes which meet business and organisational goals in NHS Trusts, Advanced Manufacturing, Local Authorities and Education.

The original shareholders were seeking to find a new home for the business with a partner who shared the same strong values as Skills Training UK, whilst providing the existing management team the opportunity to continue in their capacity, incentivising them to grow the business further.

We provided a partner-led service and professionally project managed the entire sale process from start to finish, with a thorough preparation phase, early identification of the best potential buyers, and leading negotiations to maximise shareholder value to successfully complete the transaction in a short timetable post launch.

Our team ran a highly competitive process, with high interest coming from both trade buyers and private equity before selecting Bridges as the preferred investment partner based on the strong cultural fit and purpose-led investment approach.

We ensured we worked diligently with the management team to allow us to identify and unlock further value throughout the process.

Testimonial

We would like to thank the Grant Thornton team for delivering an excellent result for all shareholders, securing a mission-aligned home in Bridges for Skills Training UK. The team’s strong sector knowledge and existing relationships in the skills and training market globally, resulted in the high interest received, further supported by the streamlined preparation phase undertaken. The team’s experience in private equity transactions really made a difference to me and the management team who are reinvesting to continue the impressive growth and reputation of the business built to date. We were really impressed by Grant Thornton’s dedication, attention to detail and agility in successfully completing the transaction, during a time where the Apprenticeship and Employability industry remains critical in reducing the skills gap nationally.

Martin Dunford Chief Executive Officer, Skills Training UK Limited