Working with us

As a leader in global skills development we work with governments, businesses and education centres to provide skills education and training.

We also form strategic partnerships and joint ventures with organisations who share our commitment to helping businesses and economies grow through skills.

A trusted partner

Our Group includes our businesses - City & Guilds, ILM, Kineo, The Oxford Group, Digitalme and e3Learning. Together they help people and businesses gain the skills they need to succeed:

We have over 130 years experience of providing work-related training
We have been working with businesses since we were founded in 1878, and with governments for over 100 years
We work with global governments across the Middle East, Europe, Asia and Africa
Our businesses’ training products and solutions are developed with industry experts to ensure they meet the highest levels of quality and relevance
Our qualifications are internationally recognised and seen as a global benchmark of occupational competence

How we work with our customers

We work with customers to understand their requirements before starting to develop the right solutions for them.

Governments

We work with governments across the globe to address their countries’ specific skills needs.

Skilled workforces contribute to the global economy: lowering unemployment and empowering businesses to succeed. By working with governments to identify their skills needs, we can then work in partnership with them to develop and deliver the right skills development solutions.

What we offer governments

Our businesses offer a range of bespoke solutions for governments. These include:

Labour market intelligence
Defining occupational standards
Quality assurance
Qualification development
Elearning
Assessment design and management
Qualification delivery

Businesses

We work with businesses across the globe, from all sectors. Our aim is to meet the needs of businesses, providing products and services to develop their current and future workforce. By doing so, we empower them to succeed in the global marketplace.

What we offer businesses

Our range of learning products and services for businesses includes:

Researching and developing products and services
Providing apprenticeships, accreditation services and elearning platforms
Offering bespoke elearning programmes to help businesses develop their employees on the job
Offering leadership and management development – either through providing qualifications, or through executive-level coaching.

Education centres

Our City & Guilds and ILM qualifications and assessments are delivered through education centres – which comprise of training providers and further education colleges.

Our training products and services are also delivered through over 10,000 approved City & Guilds centres across the globe.

What we offer education centres

We offer over 5000 qualifications across 28 industries.

We provide comprehensive support and expertise to centres delivering our training products and services. Our aim is to help centres manage large volumes of learners effectively and efficiently, allowing centres to do business quicker and focus on learners.

In addition, we support some centres further, by providing consultancy and guidance.

Growing companies and entrepreneurs

We have created a £2.5m New Venture Fund which will invest an initial £2.5m in post-revenue companies and entrepreneurs, to accelerate the growth of innovative education and training.

The Fund will seek to support innovation in the way skills education is delivered today, and providing funding in return for an equity stake. Recipients will also benefit from the City & Guilds Group's expertise and resources to help ideas get off the ground.

Find out more about the New Venture Fund.

Joint ventures

We currently have one joint venture – between City & Guilds and Manipal Global Education Services, a major education provider in India. The resulting agreement is City & Guilds Manipal which, since 2009, has been helping people to access work-related training in India.

City & Guilds brings its deep understanding of vocational education across the world; whilst Manipal Global Education Services provide the local expertise across HR, finance and legal.

Success through working together

According to data from the National Skills Development Council in India, the government wants to upskill 150 million people by 2022. By joining resources, City & Guilds Manipal is able to commit to a large scale training programme, helping the government towards these vast targets.

Strategic partnerships

Our businesses enter into strategic partnerships with organisations which share our goals and which set up initiatives which will drive us towards achieving our purpose.

Examples of our strategic partnerships, include our work with:

Business in the Community – together we are working on initiatives to help young people get into the workplace and to inspire businesses to support them, such as through work experience.
MyKindaFuture – together we help bring employers and schools closer, bridging the gap between education and employment

Where we work

Americas

The City & Guilds Group initially started working in the Americas through City & Guilds offering vocational education products and services in the Caribbean.

We are expanding our footprint through Kineo US, which has offices in Chicago, Boston, New York and Los Angeles. Also through The Oxford Group, which provides executive coaching and training across North and South America.

We are working to address skills shortages alongside regional governments, offering qualifications in secondary schools. At the same time, by developing and delivering training and e-learning for businesses, we are developing skills for people at all levels – from school leavers to CEOs.

Some of the countries we operate in:

Brazil, Canada, Jamaica, Mexico, USA

Our work in the USA

Working with clients such as Nike, ARAMARK and Prudential, Kineo US develops content and e-learning platforms to help organisations deliver cohesive training across multiple locations.

In 2015, Kineo US was listed as a Top 20 Content Development Company for the third consecutive year by TrainingIndustry.com. A blended learning programme for Coats, created through a partnership between Kineo US and The Oxford Group, was also award winning, scooping the Brandon Hall Bronze Award for Best Blended Program 2014.

City & Guilds is also working with the Urban Institute on a project for the United States Department of Labor, supporting the development of apprenticeships.

Coats plc, The Oxford Group and Kineo Win Brandon Hall Award for Blended Leadership Program

Europe

The City & Guilds Group has worked in Europe for over 100 years. Originally this was through City & Guilds, but our presence now includes The Oxford Group, ILM and City & Guilds Kineo.

ILM is Europe’s largest management training body, offering the broadest and most popular range of leadership and management qualifications
The Oxford Group delivers to 24 countries across the regions in 17 European languages
A partnership between ILM and City & Guilds Kineo has provided management solutions through e-learning across Europe

Some of the countries we operate in:

France, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands, Turkey

Work-ready skills in Ireland

The Irish Department of Education and Skills commissioned City & Guilds to support its initiative of bringing thousands of long-term unemployed back into the labour force. City & Guilds undertook this by delivering MOMENTUM programmes, that focus on ensuring people are ready for work.

East Asia

For 20 years, our businesses have operated in East Asia. Initially this was through City & Guilds offering its internationally recognised qualifications in the region. The Group has since expanded through the region via The Oxford Group.

Rapid economic development in the region has created a shortage of skilled workers and managers, particularly in accountancy, human resources and IT. In response, our businesses offer demand-driven and sector-specific qualifications, and also training to businesses, to upskill their people.

By developing skilled candidates, our businesses are meeting industry needs to help this region continue to grow.

Some of the countries we operate in:

China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Taiwan

Government recognition in China and Hong Kong

City & Guilds is the first international awarding body to be recognised by the Beijing Occupational Standard and Testing Authority (OSTA), Minister of Labour Department
The Hong Kong government has formally recognised City & Guilds EBC English Courses

Africa

We first began working in Africa in the 1950s, offering vocational examinations and certificates through City & Guilds. Since then, we have expanded in the region. City & Guilds now has six regional offices serving 21 countries, while ILM offers leadership and management qualifications across the continent.

More recently, the Group began providing workplace learning to employers via The Oxford Group and Kineo South Africa.

Some of the countries we operate in:

Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa

Addressing the skills mismatch

In Africa there is significant skills mismatch. Not enough people are being trained in the industries which have skills shortages. To address this, City & Guilds works with employer organisations and trade unions to develop and offer qualifications in skills which local areas need.

In South Africa, City & Guilds is working with the South Africa Chefs Association to create the National Youth Chefs Training programme – which trains 800 young people per year.

United Kingdom

Since The City and Guilds of London Institute was founded in 1878 by the City of London and 16 Livery Companies, we have been championing work-related training and learning. Over 130 years later, our group of businesses shares the same original purpose – to enable people and organisations to develop their skills for personal and economic growth.

Today, our businesses have a wide reach and a respected place in the UK skills sector. City & Guilds works with every further education college in the UK. ILM qualifications are offered in all City & Guilds approved centres. In addition, City & Guilds Kineo and The Oxford Group are based in the UK and work with a number of clients across the country.

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships are changing in the UK. As part of the governmental Trailblazers initiative, City & Guilds is working with over 70 employers in a number of industries to develop new apprenticeship standards and assessments.

Trailblazers

Middle East

The City & Guilds Group has been working in the Middle East for over 30 years, through City & Guilds offering work-related qualifications.

Over the years, the Group’s presence has expanded in the region. ILM, The Oxford Group and City & Guilds Kineo all offer work-based products and services, addressing specific training needs and skills shortages for businesses and governments.

The University of Dubai has embedded ILM’s leadership qualifications into its business leadership degrees
The Oxford Group has achieved significant growth in UAE from the delivery of stakeholder management training

Some of the countries we operate in:

Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates

Youth unemployment

The Middle East is experiencing high youth unemployment. To address this, City & Guilds is working with Saudi Skills Standards to provide assessment, staff training and learning platforms. This is in support of Saudi Arabia’s aim to place up to 400,000 young people into technical vocational education per year by 2023.

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia invests in skills to boost vocational education provision

India

In 2009, City & Guilds set up a joint venture with reputed Indian provider Manipal Global Education. The partnership now operates under the name Manipal City & Guilds and offers more than 60 India-specific qualifications in a region which is experiencing major skills shortages and a booming youth population.

India is the fastest growing economy in the world. To develop managers to lead this emerging skilled workforce, ILM and The Oxford Group provide leadership and management qualifications and services. By working directly with employers and training centres, they can ensure training is delivered to a consistently high level – helping businesses to train skilled managers, and ultimately supporting the Indian government in its drive to upskill the country.

A 10-year commitment

In 2014, Manipal City & Guilds signed a deal with the National Skill Development Corporation to train a minimum of 63,000 learners over 10 years in construction, hospitality and retail. It also committed to successfully place at least 70% of those trained into employment.

Tackling youth unemployment in India

Pacific

Our businesses began working in the Pacific region 30 years ago, with the first regional office set up in 2012 by City & Guilds. Further expansion, including the acquisition of Kineo Pacific in 2013, and the acquisition of Melbourne-based Nine Lanterns in 2015, has enabled our businesses to offer products and services that meet specific local needs.

Businesses across the region benefit from the portable qualifications offered by ILM and City & Guilds. The e-learning solutions delivered through Kineo Pacific support businesses to develop the right skills to grow in a global marketplace.

Some of the countries we operate in:

Australia, New Zealand

Winning awards in the Pacific

In 2014, Kineo Pacific’s work won three major awards at LearnX Awards in Australia for their innovative, bespoke e-learning products. In 2015, the company’s work received four awards, including two Platinum Awards for Best eLearning Model Online and Best eLearning Design Video.

Kineo Pacific Projects Win LearnX Awards

South Asia

For 120 years, City & Guilds has been offering qualifications throughout South Asia.

Originally, qualifications focused on the core industries of construction, transport, engineering, telecommunications, hair and beauty, and hospitality. More recently, by working with local industries in Sri Lanka, City & Guilds also developed qualifications in social media, training and assessing learning and retail skills.

City & Guilds qualifications provide a pathway to skilled employment, fulfilling a vital need in an area which is a global source for labour migration, particularly to the Middle East.

The Group’s offer in South Asia has been further expanded by ILM, which offers leadership and management qualifications in the Maldives.

Some of the countries we operate in:

Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives

Focusing on local needs in Pakistan

City & Guilds opened its first office in Pakistan in February 2013 to help address vital skills needs. As young people make up a large percent of the population, City & Guilds has specifically structured its local training to focus on getting young people into their first jobs.

South East Asia

The City & Guilds Group has worked in the South East Asia for over 20 years, originally through City & Guilds and more recently through The Oxford Group expanding into Thailand.

The region’s growing economies create a diverse range of skills needs. In response, City & Guilds offers qualifications in the booming industries of engineering, construction, hospitality and catering, and oil and gas. Added to this, ILM and The Oxford Group, in partnership with City & Guilds Kineo, address skills shortages in leadership and management.

Some of the countries we operate in:

Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam

Working with governments

City & Guilds works with governments in the region to improve the quality of vocational education. They do this by helping to develop national vocational qualifications, designing and developing qualification frameworks and providing internationally recognised qualifications.

Riam Institute of Technology (Malaysia)

Case studies

Our work with governments

Combating youth unemployment in South Africa

We worked with the government in South Africa to create a programme for young people to gain culinary skills. It came at a time when youth unemployment was 70% and the hospitality and tourism industry was in desperate need of chefs.

To address this, City & Guilds worked together with the National Department of Tourism and the South African Chefs Association to create the National Youth Chefs Training programme. This has resulted in 800 young people attending the programme each year.

Our joint ventures

Filling skills shortages in India

Through our joint venture in India between City & Guilds and Manipal Global Education Services, City & Guilds Manipal made a commitment in 2014 to train 63,000 people over 10 years in construction, hospitality and retail. As part of its pledge, City & Guilds Manipal aims to place at least 70% of these learners into employment. Currently, this joint venture is exceeding targets in numbers of learners trained and is maintaining its 70% employment target.

Our work with businesses

Building staff capabilities across the UK

Over 21,000 colleagues have already attended training at Sainsbury’s specialist colleges providing learning accredited by City & Guilds.

Those who have attended the accredited training continue to give excellent feedback and have received a ‘My Sainsbury’s Learning Certificate’ from City & Guilds in recognition of their achievements.