Realise

THE OPPORTUNITY

Realise is one of the largest apprenticeship and adult education providers in England supporting over 7,000 learners across a number of sectors including Early Years & Childcare, Health and Social Care, Transport and Business skills for over 35 years.  The business is headquartered in Sheffield and employs over 400 people, provides learning, education and employment services to support businesses, communicates and people across the country to inspire and develop talent. 

THE IMPACT SO FAR

Enact supported the management buyout of one of England’s leading providers of Apprenticeships and Adult Education in October 2020, acquiring the business previously known as Interserve Learning & Employment (“ILE”) from the Interserve Group.

The buyout saw the company become a standalone training provider and launched a new brand identity as Realise which aligned with the company values and proposition, bringing a more “modern and people-focussed” look to the business which centres on communication.

Since the investment by Enact, Realise has continued to grow revenue and profitability but with a focus on people and the quality of educational courses and delivery. Some of the highlights of the over this period include:

• Named “Apprenticeship Provider of the Year” at the FE Week and AELP AAC Apprenticeship Awards in April 2022.
• Great Place to Work®, a global authority on workplace culture, awarded Realise the number one spot as the Best Large Workplace for Women in the UK;
• An NHS Foundation Trust partnered with Realise to deliver Maths and English qualifications to enhance their employees career prospects;
• Realise were awarded a five-year contract to deliver adult education services within Liverpool City Region; and
• A new training and skills hub was established by Realise in Huddersfield allowing West Yorkshire residents to seek expert advice on upskilling and improving their employment prospects.

In addition, in late 2022, Realise strengthened its Early Years & Childcare sector with two acquisitions.