UNLOCKING POTENTIAL,
SHAPING FUTURES…
TRAIN
Train your team
HIRE
Hire an apprentice
Let us find and train your next rising star
GROW
Become an apprentice
Earn a competitive salary while training for your future career
TRAIN
Train your team
HIRE
Hire an apprentice
Let us find and train your next rising star
GROW
Become an apprentice
Earn a competitive salary while training for your future career
DELIVERING APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING WITH
BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE ACROSS THE HUMBER
We deliver Apprenticeship training across Grimsby and North East Lincolnshire, Hull and East Yorkshire in a range of occupational sectors including Business, Data, Digital, Hairdressing, Management and Marketing.
We have the highest employer and learner satisfaction rates in the area? If you are an employer we can help you recruit, train and retain your existing staff.
⠀
About Us
Formed in September 2007 as Avant Partnership, we have grown and developed, with significant changes over the years. In 2010 we started our first direct delivery with the Young Apprenticeship programme and Smart Moves in Hull. 2015 saw the opening of our Grimsby training centre and and in 2016 we brought Alcrest Academy’s former hairdressing apprenticeship training in-house.
In 2019 we changed our name to Avant Skills Academy to better reflect the organisation’s purpose, which was based on feedback from employers and learners. We also introduced the following visions for the organisation and our apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship provision:
“To provide a dynamic approach to the delivery of high quality learner and employer centred learning and development”
“Our Apprentices learn and develop the knowledge and skills required to become competent and valued employees, enabling them to progress in their career”
“Our Pre-apprenticeship learners gain real work experience and develop the skills to become work-ready, enabling their progression to an Apprenticeship or employment”
Meet the Avant Team
Programme Tutor Assessor
Trainee Business Development Coordinator
Programme Tutor Assessor
Reception and Administration Assistant
Head of Centre for Hull
Programme Tutor Assessor
Programme Tutor Assessor
Programme Tutor Assessor
Programme Tutor Assessor
Compliance Administrator
Quality and Compliance Manager
Quality Consultant
Head of Marketing
Programme Tutor Assessor
Programme Tutor Assessor
Business Development Coordinator
Business Development Coordinator
Head of Centre (Grimsby)
Chief Executive
Director of Operations
Delivery Administrator
Abbie Norman
Hairdressing Programme Tutor Assessor
Abbie is our Hairdressing Programme Tutor Assessor for Grimsby. She joined us in August 2020 and has worked in the hairdressing industry for over 17 years. Abbie is passionate about her role and developing good working relationships with both employers and learners, sharing her skills and knowledge. Abbie also works as a hairdresser running her own business as it ensures her skills are kept current and up to date with the changes in this fast-paced industry.
Alysha Lond
Trainee Business Development Coordinator
Alysha is a Trainee Business Development Coordinator in Grimsby. She started the traineeship programme with us in 2020 at the age of 16, then progressed onto an apprenticeship in customer service where she achieved a distinction grade. Alysha has been the face of the company and has been the first person you see when visiting the Grimsby centre. She is now moving into the Business Development team where she will be engaging with young people, adults, and employers to promote our pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programmes
Andrew Jessett
Programme Tutor Assessor
Andrew is a Programme Tutor Assessor for the Pre-apprenticeship Programme in Grimsby and joined us in August 2024. He has worked in the education sector for over twenty years and has a plethora of educational experience, having taught students from a wide range of backgrounds. Andrew has taught primary age children, young people and adults who have found themselves in the prison system. He enjoys supporting his learners at Avant Skills Academy and relishes the role of getting them workplace ready and moving them into employment and apprenticeships.
Crystal Evans
Reception and Administration Assistant
Crystal Is our ‘Reception and Administration Assistant’ In our Grimsby centre, she joined us in 2024 progressing onto our business administrator apprenticeship. She is the first face you would see when visiting our Grimsby training centre. Crystal supports the effective running of the centre with general administration functions as well as the safeguarding team with learner attendance.
Cynthia Robinson
Head of Centre for Hull
Cynthia is our Head of Centre for Hull and joined us in April 2024. She has worked in the education sector since 2003 and has over 27 years of hairdressing and Management experience. Cynthia has also worked in schools supporting pupils with special educational needs. She is a qualified teacher and IQA who has delivered an array of apprenticeships and other qualifications and looks forward to supporting our local employers and learners, bringing her knowledge and skills to grow the business.
Dave Thompson
Programme
Tutor Assessor
If anyone understands the benefits of being an apprentice, it’s our Programme Tutor Assessor Dave Thompson, who started as an apprentice in 2006 working for the organisation. Dave is the perfect role model to our traineeship learners and apprentices, having won ‘Apprentice Of The Year’ in 2009. Throughout the week, he helps transition the traineeship learners into fully fledged apprentices as well as delivering on the Content Creator apprenticeship and award in education.
David Thompson
Programme Tutor Assessor
Dave is our Programme Tutor Assessor for our management programmes across the Humber. He joined us in 2018, initially delivering on our customer service practitioner apprenticeship and during his time teaching on the programme, over 94% of apprentices achieved a distinction grade. With his previous industry experience, Dave moved on to delivering the Team Leader/Supervisor apprenticeship and Operations/Departmental Manager at level 5. Dave is also an experienced maths tutor, assisting apprentices with functional skills across all programmes.
Donna Gagan
Programme Tutor Assessor
Donna is one of our Programme Tutor Assessor for Business programmes in Hull and the surrounding areas. She joined us at the start of 2024, having worked in apprenticeships for almost a decade across the Yorkshire and Humber area. Donna has a robust industry background, having honed her managerial skills across diverse sectors such as catering, retail, and hospitality. Donna finds tremendous joy in guiding learners from initial apprentices to full-fledged team members, relishing in their transformative journeys.
Ellis Stewart
Programme Tutor Assessor
Ellis is one of our Programme Tutor Assessor based in Hull. She joined us at the start of 2024 and has previously delivered on the study programme since 2018. Ellis is also an experienced health and social care tutor, having several years of experience working in the sector supporting individuals with mental illnesses, disabilities and with dementia and delivering qualifications to students aged 16 – 19. Ellis is very passionate about giving students the opportunity to progress and achieve their full potential.
Jane Patterson
Quality Consultant
Jane is our Quality Consultant and started with the organisation in 2003. She has worked in the education and skills sector since 1994 and has held several roles including. Area Manager, Area Verifier, Contract Manager and Head of Quality to name but a few! Jane is a fully qualified teacher and has delivered on many teacher training programmes to support Work Based Learning
providers across the Humber. She now supports the quality team with advice and guidance.
Jane Wright
Head of Quality and Compliance
Jane is our Head of Quality and Compliance and joined us at the start of 2023. She has worked in education and training since 2000 across apprenticeships, traineeships and Adult Education Budget programmes. Jane has experience in centre and operational management, quality and compliance, leading teams both regionally and nationally. She is a qualified Assessor / Internal Verifier and teacher and is part of the safeguarding team, ensuring that all of our learners are safe whilst on our programmes.
Leah Goodhand
Compliance Administrator
Leah is our Compliance Administrator. She started with us on the Traineeship programme in 2020, eventually progressing to an Apprenticeship in Data Technician in which she achieved a Merit. In recognition of Leah’s hard work, she was awarded the ‘Avant Apprentice of the Year’ at the 2022 Awards Evening. Leah now supports the implementation and management of funding body and programme requirements, providing assurance of compliance with funding and finance requirements
Mary Irish
Quality and Compliance Manager
Mary is our Quality and Compliance Manager. Mary joined the team in September 2024 and brings with her over 30 years of experience working in education, skills and training sectors. She has extensive Further Education experience, contract managing Apprenticeship training providers, and she successfully supported them to transition from Frameworks to Standards. She is excited about working for Avant and will bring audit, monitoring, quality, and inspection experience. Mary also has a track record of securing funding through bid writing.
Lynne Godfrey
Programme Tutor Assessor
Lynne is one of our Programme Tutor Assessors specialising in Business Administration and Customer Service as well as having experience in as experience in Management and as a Functional Skills tutor. She joined us in 2023 and brings over 20 years of experience in work-based learning and apprenticeships. Lynne is not only a qualified teacher but also an internal verifier and an End Point Assessment assessor so is well placed to support her apprentices. Lynne is keen to develop the workforce of the future.
Lucy Campbell
Learner Engagement Coordinator
Lucy is our Learner Engagement Coordinator, working for Avant since 2021. Her role is to interview applicants who apply for our apprenticeship and Traineeship programmes. She is keen to interview applicants that are motivated, enthusiastic and willing to learn! Lucy also promotes Avant at schools and colleges across the Humber so you may have seen her! She has
supported young people and adults for over 20 years in the addiction field and brings many transferrable skills to the role.
Paul Robinson
Head of Marketing & DSL
Paul is our Head of Marketing and Designated Safeguarding Lead. Paul has worked for the organisation since 2004 and in the education and skills sector since 2000. With his industry, management and qualified teacher status, Paul has been instrumental in the development of our pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programmes as well as more recently leading the Business Development team and social media marketing. He now leads on marketing, developing our communication strategy and spreading the word about Avant Skills Academy.
Sara Fields
Programme Tutor Assessor
Sara is our hairdressing Programme Tutor Assessor for Hull and joined us in 2022 as part of our growth and expansion. She has over 20 years experience in the hairdressing industry with 10 of those years owning a successful salon in Hull. Sara has a wealth of knowledge in the hairdressing sector and enjoys working with apprentices and employers to develop her apprentices into the cutting edge stylists of the future.
Sarah Neilson
Business Development Coordinator
Sarah joined us in May 2022 as a Compliance and Office Coordinator, however, with her background in HR, Service Administration, Customer Service and staff training across multiple sectors, she soon demonstrated a passion for supporting our apprentices and employers. She supported the delivery team as a Programme Tutor Assessor from January 2023, however, her passion for working with employers led her to jump at the chance to join the Business Development Team. Sarah now engages with young people, adults, and employers to promote our pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programmes
Sophie Beacock
Business Development Coordinator
Sophie is one of our Business Development Coordinators and joined us in April 2024. She has a varied background from a range of sectors including recruitment, employability, sales, hospitality, and events. Sophie even ran her own successful events business in Hull and gained so many different skills and experiences despite being young at the time. She is passionate about young people following their dreams as she has and knows with the right support and guidance anything is possible. Sophie is a big believer in continuous learning and has continued her education and training throughout her career to further her prospects. She is looking forward to watching our learners develop their skills and careers.
Stacey Rogers
Head of Centre Grimsby
Stacey is our Head of Centre in Grimsby and has worked for Avant since 2015 and in the education sector since leaving school in 2007. She is a product of the system beginning with a Pre-Employment programme, progressing through level 2, 3 and 4 Apprenticeships. Stacey leads all directly delivered learning programmes in Grimsby, ensuring we provide a high quality learning experience for all our learners and employers and ensuring we achieve our vision of becoming the best provider in the area.
Steve Roe
Chief Executive
Steve is the Chief Executive, founder and owner of Avant Skills Academy. A qualified leader, manager and trainer with over 30 years management experience in education and skills, he has worked with and for a range of learning providers and funding bodies, so there’s not much he doesn’t know about the sector. This experience and knowledge is fully utilised in leading the team at Avant and drives Steve’s passion for us to be the best learning provider in the area.
Tammy Johnson
Director of Operations
Tammy is our Director of Operations and has worked for the organisation since 2003 and in the education and skills sector since 1999. She led on many of the projects delivered by Avant and its previous charity CfL including promoting
Apprenticeships in Schools, Apprenticeship Handbooks, Apprenticeship Graduation ceremonies and the development of pre-16 programmes. Tammy has extensive knowledge and experience in compliance and contracting and has a passion to ensure that local young people and employers benefit from
local training.
Teresa Wade
Delivery Administrator
Teresa joined the Avant Hull team at the start of 2024 as a Delivery Administrator. Over the past 36 years working in the Education Sector, Teresa has worked on various funded training programmes and has built up a variety of expertise, knowledge and understanding in this field of work. She has also built up general administrative skills and experience which will enhance her in her role as Delivery Administrator with Avant.