A COUNTY Durham training provider has struck a partnership it says will help nurture a housebuilder’s next generation.

Learning Curve Group has become Bellway’s Apprenticeship Levy partner.

Bosses at Bishop Auckland-headquartered Learning Curve say it will help the builder deliver new training, adding dozens of vacancies across manual and officebased roles have been created in the North-East and nationwide.

The organisation will also support Bellway, which has its headquarters in Newcastle, in recruiting apprentices and the provision of pre-apprenticeship courses.

Learning Curve complements its County Durham base with skills centres in Middlesbrough and Sunderland, and previously agreed terms to move to the Durham Gate development, on the outskirts of Spennymoor, to maintain its growth.

Brenda McLeish, chief executive, said its Bellway deal represents another key facet in its expansion, revealing the body, which has around 300 staff and more than 250 associates, was excited by the tie-up.

She said: “We have worked closely with Bellway to develop a fantastic proposition for both new and existing employees, with a range of training solutions to suit their learning and development needs.

“Our vision is ‘transforming lives through learning’, and I look forward to developing this long-term relationship with Bellway and seeing the apprentices and other team members flourish.”

Recent changes in apprenticeship legislation mean eligible employers must contribute 0.5 per cent of their turnover to the Apprenticeship Levy, which can then be used to fund apprenticeship training.

This training can be offered at a range of levels to both new and existing employees regardless of previous academic achievements, opening up a host of development opportunities.

Learning Curve are working with both Levy paying employers to utilise their Levy pot and smaller businesses who only need to contribute ten per cent towards apprenticeship training.

Andrew Cumiskey, Bellway group learning and development manager, added: “We are delighted to partner with Learning Curve and look forward to welcoming our new apprentices on to our programmes.

“We spent up to a year preparing for the introduction of the Levy and are excited to be able to offer a range of development routes from entry level courses to degree level apprenticeships in a wide range of disciplines.”