HUNDREDS of learners will be able to continue their apprenticeships after a North Yorkshire training company’s future was secured in a six figure deal, saving 14 jobs.

FW Solutions found itself in financial difficulty after a Skills Funding Agency contract was withdrawn from national firm NTQUK, with which FW Solutions had a sub-contract to deliver courses for 200 apprentices.

With the payment withdrawn, Harrogate-based FW Solutions’ joint owner Sandra Hardy dug into reserves and her own personal finances in a bid to keep the company afloat, avoid redundancies and prevent disappointing hundreds of learners while she looked for a rescue deal.

Now, Gateshead-based Access Training has stepped in as lead provider to take over the £300,000 contract, enabling the Harrogate company to continue trading and delivering the apprenticeships.

Access Training manages the contract and also provides the required quality management and auditing to support the provision.

Ms Hardy said: “We were devastated. We thought we would lose our business. It was an incredibly difficult six months.

“We didn’t want our staff or the learners to be alarmed, so we dug deep and fortunately found a solution in time.

“We are incredibly pleased with the support we have had from Access so far. They are always just at the end of a phone to provide guidance.”

Managing director Access Training, Malcolm Armstrong, said: “FW Solutions has a good reputation as a quality training provider so we were more than happy to take on the contract. We have since taken on an additional 50 learners as part of the arrangement.”