Aspire Achieve Advance (3aaa) Announced It Had Ceased Trading on Thursday

Aspire Achieve Advance (3aaa) has ceased trading leaving a question mark over the apprenticeships of between 3,000 and 4,500 16 to 21-year-olds.

3aaa operates training centres across the country, including an office on Albert Road in Middlesbrough and another in Newcastle.

An automated email received from 3aaa reads: “We apologies for any inconvenience, the company has now entered administration and will no longer be accepting any further business.

“All the best for all employers, 3aaa apprentices and staff in the future.”

The company collapsed after the Education and Skills Funding Agency cancelled its contracts following an investigation into the firm’s practices.

In a statement the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) said: “In conjunction with recent investigations, we have issued notices to terminate contracts with 3aaa. The notices will bring the contracts to an end in a three month period, in January 2019.

“During the notice period, the suspension on apprenticeship enrolments remains in place. Our investigations will continue until all concerns have been addressed.

“Our priority is to protect the apprentices and to ensure minimum disruption to their learning. We will source high quality alternative provision as quickly as possible and support apprentices and employers to enable them to continue with their apprenticeship programme. We will write to all apprentices and employers to explain the next steps.”

A statement issued yesterday by 3aaa’s directors confirmed that receivers had been called in after it was unable to operate without progress payments for its learners.

Apprentices, parents and employers who have been affected by the collapse of the company can contact ESFA via the dedicated email address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Gazette has tried to contact 3aaa but has been unable to contact anyone at the company.

A spokesman for the Department for Education said its priority is “to find new training providers as quickly as possible for the affected learners”.

It is not known how many people work at the training provider’s North East offices but according to the company’s 2015/16 accounts it employed 422 members of staff across the country.

3aaa was founded by Peter Marples and Di McEvoy-Robinson over a decade ago and grew to become one of the largest apprenticeship businesses in the country. It operated 38 academies across England.

The company offered apprenticeships in IT, software, digital marketing, accountancy, financial services, business administration, customer service and management.

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