In October 2009, TTP directly employed 15 members of staff and 95% of the company turnover was reliant on government funding linked to the delivery of adult work based learning training under the previous Labour governments flagship Train to Gain scheme.

In the development of our business plan the senior management team identified the need to change its strategic direction and re-align the core delivery of the business into new areas to offset our reliance and risk assoiated with revenue from one funding stream.

As opposed to delivering NVQ qualifications to adult learners in employment we indentified Apprenticeship delivery to 16-24 year olds within the underrepresented Logistics sector, and the establishment of a specialist Logistics Apprenticeship Training Academy (LATA) as our target market and new offer.

To build capacity and knowledge in an area that we had never delivered before we sought a strategic partnership with a large national training provider to enable us to pilot our new delivery model. In Autumn 2009, the senior management team presented their Apprenticeship delivery proposal to local government bodies such as the National Apprenticeship Service. These organisations endorsed our proposals and recommended suitable large training organisations that we should approach with reference to strategic partnerships. Following senior level negotiations we entered a partnership with JHP Group and submitted a joint tender in the area of Apprenticeship delivery. This bid was one of 12 nationally successful and resulted in infrastructure funding to pilot and deliver our new Apprenticeship proposal in the establishment of a new brand, new logo and innovative delivery of Apprenticeship training. In March 2010 we recruited Apprentices and enrolled and employed our first pilot group of LATA Apprentices.

In June 2011 LATA's Apprenticeship delivery is resposible for 90% of our turnover and we have secured contracts for the next 2 years. Within a year we now employ 42 core staff and also employ over 150 Apprentices across over 80 Host Company sites. LATA has been recognised nationally as a leading Apprenticeship Training Agency and plans are in place to establish LATA centres across the country with its HQ based in Dudley.

LATA has been instrumental in raising the aspirations of local young adults in the Black Country and working with local employers to invest in young people. To date, we have supported over 400 local young adults into Apprenticeships and worked with over 150 local employers who have commited to becoming a LATA Host Company.