About Us
As an Educational Consultancy you may wonder why Smart Training Solutions Limited has a motorcycle as its logo. This harks back to a company that was founded by Heather in 1999, Smart Rider Training Limited. The company was leagues ahead of its time back then with Heather ensuring all of her staff had teaching and assessing qualifications in addition to the regulatory requirements for instruction. With a burning desire to the best in her sector Heather became the most qualified female motorcycle riding instructor in the UK. National awards for her work in the industry quickly followed, along with the role of Chairperson of the Motorcycle Industry Trainers Association, culminating in an invite to join the Main Board of Directors for the Motorcycle Industry Association.
Heather decided to sell Smart Rider Training in 2013 after the continued growth experienced by her other company, Smart Training Solutions Limited. Smart Rider Training may have ridden off into the sunset, but the logo and its desire to provide ‘learning in motion’ continues.
In 2006 Smart Training Solutions Limited was established to meet an identified need for training providers, colleges, and employers to access expert support at affordable prices. With an extensive background in education, and utilising the proven training techniques of the British Army, its founders worked hard to design an approach to programme support which encompassed the very best of both worlds.
Smart Training Solutions became renowned for its ability to turn around underperforming or failing Government funded training programmes, maximising learner success rates and achievement. Gathering pace the company’s portfolio of services began to grow, and although we still offer programme recovery, it’s no longer our core focus.
External Verifier services to Awarding Organisations came next, which ensured we were exposed to best practice (and some not so good practice) from across the country. This service resulted in our training director being graded as an ‘A Grade External Verifier’ for the largest awarding organisation in the UK. We continue to offer External Quality Assurance services and have now externally quality assured hundreds of accredited centres since 2006.
The implementation of the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) in 2011 brought a step-change in the sector and an uncertainty to our customers on how to move assessment teams from ‘old’ assessment techniques to ‘effective’ assessment techniques which would make them prosper under the new regulations. Smart Training Solutions decided to bring its expertise to market and established an accredited centre for the delivery of assessor, and internal and external quality assurance courses. These courses are very popular as delivery exceeds the qualification requirement. We have trained professionals from many different sectors, including awarding organisations, uniformed services, charities, private training providers, and individual practitioners.
In 2013 Smart Training Solutions were commissioned to design two national programmes for the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA). The brief was simple: Design a programme for business owners and individual instructors which will revolutionise the industry and bring it in line with modern-day educational standards - not an easy feat given the lack of investment in the motorcycle rider training industry. The programme is now being rolled out nationally by the MCIA, recognised by Government, and heralded as best practice by the awarding organisation responsible for its quality assurance.
In 2014 Smart Training Solutions were invited to become the exclusive provider of external quality assurance training for a forward-thinking and well-respected awarding organisation. This high level of engagement underpins our professionalism and our desire to be at the forefront of our sector.
In 2016 Smart Training Solutions began the development of courses and training programmes to assist those who were involved in the delivery of new apprenticeship standards. We helped training organisations design curriculum, develop staff competencies and understand the requirements of end-point assessment.
In 2018 Smart Training Solutions widened its offer to meet the needs of our customers in an ever-changing market. We assisted in writing bids, submitting applications to Government registers, selling businesses, developing new businesses, and implemented an online portfolio system to assist delivery of apprenticeship programmes. Our customer base widened to include the Police, Fire and Rescue Service, Charities, and the Home Office. Our courses continue to be popular, and we welcomed many individual practitioners to the world of learning through our accredited training centre. Our desire to be the best in the industry will never waver.
In 2019 we continued to innovate with our offer of End Point Assessment support for End Point Assessment Organisations (EPAO) across a range of sectors, and delivering EPA training for a leading EPAO specialising in the justice sector. We also started our journey delivering courses for busy professionals live online. Using the latest technology we brought training delivery to our customers' homes, offices, or locations of their choosing. We also pledged to deliver training on a day or time (including weekends, bank holidays, or evenings) to suit their busy diaries and commitments. This delivery model was well received and will be continued into our next training year.
In 2020 the world was impacted by a pandemic which challenged people and businesses worldwide. We have always been proud of our adaptability and resilience when faced with difficulties and challenges, and this was no different. We built on our success of delivering training online, rewrote our mission statement, and became busier than ever meeting our clients needs, their way. We widened our delivery to include teacher training and increased course delivery by 125%. Amongst global change, we remained consistent and focussed on providing training solutions that met organisational, as well as individual needs.
In 2021 we continued to support our clients through challenging times and as part of this commitment we were accepted as members of the Confederation of Education Consultants. Our course delivery continued to grow, and we saw more and more learners from a wide range of sectors continue to flourish. Investment in video messaging technology allowed us to provide a more bespoke experience, whilst we adopted artificial intelligence software to ensure our learners received the best live online experience possible. We supported clients with successful RoATP applications and provided EQA and EPA services to organisations who needed them. In a year of constant challenge, we have maintained our dedication to those individuals who learn with us, and to the organisations who learn from us. Our Training Director also took up the role of Governor with a local college, which gives us the perfect opportunity to give back to the community and share our passion and knowledge for education.
In 2022 We remained steadfast in supporting our learners and our clients (some of whom have been with us for over ten years). Highlights have included delivering the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training to 75 Police Trainers who are supporting the national uplift in Police Officers through the delivery of apprenticeship programmes, supporting the Prison Service with Internal Quality Assurance training to develop staff capability, shaping quality management in the organisation, and help to prepare for Ofsted expectations and requirements. In addition, we won our first public tender to provide Quality Assurance training to the Fire Service.
However, we haven’t stopped there and have recently provided course design services for a client to accredit their training provision through the CPD certification service. Professionally recognised training delivery is important for those who want to be seen leading the way in their industries. Our delivery team achieved ‘Certified Microsoft Educator’ status and has incorporated 21st Century Learning Design into our programme offers. We are currently developing our Governance offer for organisations requiring training delivery scrutiny, and our Training Director has recently started building a Governance Board for a client. We continue to strive for better and look for ways to surpass expectations and deliver the best services possible, in the best way possible. It would be fantastic if we could support you on your journey, be it an individual or organisational one.
In 2023 - What a remarkable year it has been! The advent of Artificial Intelligence in the education landscape presented unique challenges and opportunities alike. Many organisations were at a crossroads, grappling with how to harness its potential while mitigating any drawbacks, particularly concerning its use by learners. In response to this new era, we pioneered the development of our exclusive 'Smart Virtual Coach.' This innovative platform empowers users with a wealth of research capabilities, detailed answers to pressing questions, and a conducive environment to spur novel thought processes. Remarkably, we’ve made this cutting-edge technology accessible to all, perpetually and at no cost.
Furthermore, we’ve enhanced collaborative learning by unveiling our Discord platform – a dedicated, safe haven for over 100 learners and entities to exchange industry best practices. This thriving community stays abreast of the most recent trends in Learning and Development, refreshed weekly with new insights and strategies.
Meanwhile, our Training Director has embraced additional responsibilities, accepting appointments as a Subject Specialist Advisor at TQUK, a prominent Awarding Organisation, and at Ofqual, the regulatory body overseeing Qualifications and Examinations in England. This event marks a strategic move into governance enrichment, marked by our initiation into advisory services. Part of these new responsibilities involved taking up the mantle of ‘Chair’ for an apprenticeship provider, guiding them through the complex landscape that government-funded training encompasses.
Our eagerness to lead extends to our Training Director’s contribution as Vice-Chair on a local college's corporate board, and as authoritative Chair of their standards committee. These roles demonstrate our commitment to excellence in educational oversight and informed policymaking.
We are unwavering in our dedication to the continuation and advancement of our course deliveries to various organisations. With genuine anticipation, we look forward to lending our support to them, striving to meet and exceed their diverse training needs.