This month we are celebrating Damar Training’s 45th birthday and 45 years of transforming lives through high-quality vocational training.
Take a look at our 45 years, 45 stories brochure which highlights the impact that we’ve had on apprentices and organisations across England.
Founded in 1980 by Stockport businesswoman, Dale Stafford, as a secretarial training college, Damar is now a national education provider, specialising in business and professional services apprenticeships and working with over 1,300 apprentices and 550 employers across England.
“Forty-five years ago, Damar welcomed its first students to what was then a small secretarial training college in Stockport,” said Jonathan Bourne, Damar’s Managing Director. “Today, we’re proud to be one of the largest independent providers specialising in developing the business and professional skills that power organisational success and economic growth.
“Our apprentices go on to provide expert professional and administrative services, lead teams, deliver great customer and client experiences, and ensure regulatory compliance. Whatever their age or level of study – from entry to postgraduate level – they progress their careers and access good jobs with supportive employers.”
From shorthand to solicitors: A journey of evolution
Our journey as a provider reflects the changing landscape of UK vocational education. In 1980, when the average UK house price was £23,628 and everyday internet access was still more than a decade away, all training took place in Stockport classrooms with students learning traditional secretarial skills such as shorthand. The Youth Training Scheme (YTS) of the 1980s was followed by NVQ programmes and the old apprenticeship frameworks of the 1990s and early 2000s. We were one of the first providers to offer the new apprenticeship standards in 2017.
Today, our nationally-based team work with apprentices across England, delivering apprenticeship programmes across a range of business and professional disciplines. These days, delivery is more accessible and largely takes place online, face-to-face using a mix of coaching, expert-led workshops and digital learning delivered through our online learning platform.
“How we deliver has evolved, and apprenticeships have certainly become more valuable and more challenging, but our core mission remains exactly the same as it was,” Jonathan explained. “Now, like then, we have a single ambition, which is for our students, and the organisations they work for to achieve their full potential. The same ambition extends to our colleagues.”
Since 1980, we have worked with over 20,000 students who have gone on to successful careers across industries including local government, healthcare, accountancy, law, teaching, and travel. With overall apprenticeship success rates significantly above national averages and latest employer and apprentice satisfaction rates of over 95%, we are clearly getting much right at a time when skills and economic growth are at the top of the government’s agenda.
Our success has been built on what we call “The Damar Difference” – a set of values developed collaboratively by the team that emphasise working as one team with a common purpose, with everyone taking accountability and working to make a positive impact on individuals and organisations.
Ambitious growth plans for the future
Now well into its fifth decade, we have ambitious plans for sustainable growth. Key strategic initiatives include:
- Industry connection: We have established an advisory board of industry experts to provide strategic guidance and ensure programmes remain aligned with sector needs.
- Programme expansion: We have plans to grow provision, broadening the range of business and professional apprenticeships on offer.
- Technology investment: Significant upgrades to learning platforms with specialist external support, integrating learning on artificial intelligence across all programmes as well as to support delivery, with robust policies to manage risk.
- Championing accessibility and inclusion: Continued investment in functional skills development in English and mathematics, as well as SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) support to ensure a level playing field for all students.
“As we celebrate 45 years of Damar Training, I’m incredibly proud of how far we’ve come,” Jonathan said, “from a small secretarial college to a national provider. We are not just responding to change but supporting the skills and growth agenda nationally. Our commitment to accessibility and inclusion ensures that every apprentice, regardless of their starting point, has the opportunity to unlock their potential.”
We also invite former students, particularly those from the early days, to share their career journeys and connect via their social media channels on Facebook, X and LinkedIn with the hashtag #DAMAR45.