ACT completes ALS merger to expand workforce training offer across Wales

Daniel Bevan - Editor

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Wales’ largest training provider, ACT, has merged with sister organisation ALS, bringing the two businesses together under the ACT brand in a move aimed at strengthening work-based learning and workforce development across Wales.

The merger follows more than 20 years of collaboration between the organisations and is designed to broaden support for employers, learners and communities by combining expertise in employability, skills and training.

ACT Managing Director Richard Spear said: “We knew from our very close work with ALS that they shared our values. They’re almost a mirror image of ACT in many ways,” he said. “Both organisations have an absolute passion to deliver the best quality services to learners and employers. Our main focus has always been quality and people.

“The greatest challenge we face at the moment is uncertainty due to external changes. We thought, let’s get ahead of that, merge the organisations now and we’ll be in a better position to share best practice, strengthen the organisation and be ready for the future.”

Founded 25 years ago, ALS has focused on delivering tailored training programmes in partnership with employers. Following the merger, ACT said employers will have access to a broader range of services spanning employability, skills and workforce development.

Helena Williams, formerly a director at ALS and now ACT’s Director of Learner Recruitment & Employer Engagement, said: “It was very much about delivering learning in partnership with organisations delivering bespoke solutions that result in tangible benefits – it’s actually doing training with them.”

Describing the merger as “the natural next step”, she added: “It just felt right. We could see that being separate wasn’t benefiting our clients any longer. Bringing all of the expertise together means we can deliver a far better joined-up service for our employers and learners.”

Sarah John, formerly an ALS director and now ACT’s Director of Strategy and Transformation, said: “We see it as a fantastic opportunity to bring together all the talent we’ve got across both organisations and channel that more strategically into our delivery, including understanding how we can build delivery to respond to the emerging digital developments in the workplace.”

Existing learners and employer partners will continue working with the same teams during a phased transition.