There is new hope for students caught up in the collapse of two
Midland training companies.
Administrators from accountants and business advisers PKF in
Birmingham say there has been strong interest in Hagley-based
Advent Computer Training and Access 2 Careers and talks were taking
place.
PKF partners Ian Gould and Brian Hamblin were appointed last
week to run the firms while a buyer is sought.
Both were operated by directors Ivor Allchurch and Ashley Jones
from offices at 5 The Mews, Hagley Hall, Hagley, Worcestershire.
They employed around 250 people and had a joint annual turnover of
£30 million.
Advent Computer Training, established in 2002, provided IT
training, while Access 2 Careers, formed in 2004, offered plumber
and electrician training for up to 1,000 students at any one
time.
Mr Gould said: "We have been really pleased at the response.
"We have had a number of suitably qualified training companies
offering to get involved and assist in this matter.
"We are in advanced discussions with a number of parties and all
relevant stakeholders.
"However, there remain a lot of matters still to be resolved and
it is unlikely anything significant will happen before Friday at
the earliest."
Mr Gould said he wanted to thank all those who had rallied round
to keep the businesses going, in particular those staff that had
"come back to assist and provide information".
To students, some of whom had taken on substantial financial
commitments, he said: "I would ask them to bear with us. I know
they have been waiting an awfully long time and I cannot make
promises, but we are optimistic. Matters are progressing as well as
we dared hope."
Mr Gould has pledged to do his utmost "to find the best solution
for both the creditors and the students and identify a buyer to
take over responsibility for the students and their courses".
He has previously stated that the size of the liability across
both companies "will be largely dependent on how successful we are
in mitigating the students' losses through achieving an early
sale".
Websites and helplines have been set up to assist students,
employees and creditors.
The websites are at www.pkf.co.uk/advent and
www.pkf.co.uk/access2careers. The help line number for Advent is
0844 770 1921 and for Access 2 Careers 0844 770 1922.