North Lancs Training Group - NLTG

07/10/2026

🪡 A craft built on skill, patience and knowledge.

This Upholstery Awareness Month we’re celebrating the employers, apprentices and skilled professionals helping to keep this specialist craft moving forward.

Upholstery is about much more than fabric and furniture. Behind every finished piece are practical skills, attention to detail, creativity and specialist knowledge. From traditional techniques to modern materials and methods, it is a craft that continues to evolve while maintaining the high standards that make it so distinctive.

That is why this story links closely to E – Excellence, one of our THRIVE values.

For us, excellence is about taking pride in the quality of what we do, building specialist skills and continuing to raise standards. Upholstery is a perfect example of that in action.

At NLTG, furniture training has been part of our story for so many years, and we’re proud to continue supporting the next generation entering the industry.

Through our Level 2 Furniture Manufacturer Apprenticeship and our Level 3 Advanced Upholsterer Apprenticeship, apprentices can develop their skills in the workplace while learning from experienced specialist tutors who understand the craft and the industry.

We also support those already working within the sector through our Specialist Furniture Training, with commercial Upholstery training designed to help individuals and businesses strengthen existing skills and continue developing their expertise.

But keeping these skills alive is a shared effort.

It takes employers willing to invest their time and experience, tutors passing on specialist knowledge, and apprentices who are ready to learn, practise and become the skilled workforce of the future.

👏 This Upholstery Awareness Month, we’re celebrating everyone playing their part in keeping the craft going.

05/10/2026

Behind every qualification achieved, every new skill learned and every NLTG learner who takes their next step, there is a tutor who has helped them get there. 🙌

This World Teachers’ Day, we want to say a huge thank you to all of our tutors across NLTG.

From Study Programme and Business Services to Furniture, Hospitality and every team in between, our tutors support learners at all different stages, with different goals, different experiences and different ambitions.

Some are helping young people prepare for employment. Others are supporting apprentices to build specialist skills in the workplace, helping existing employees progress in their careers and working closely with employers to make sure training has a real impact.

And behind every achievement is so much more than the qualification itself.

It is the extra explanation when something has not quite clicked.

The encouragement before an assessment.

The progress reviews, conversations with employers and time spent making sure each learner gets the support they need.

It is all part of what makes NLTG what it is.

That is why World Teachers’ Day links so closely to our THRIVE value V – Value-Driven.

Being Value-Driven means making sure the work we do has purpose and creates genuine value for our learners, employers and communities. Our tutors bring that to life every day through their knowledge, experience, patience and commitment.

So today, we want to say a huge thank you to every tutor in every team at NLTG and a Happy World Teachers’ Day! 💗

02/10/2026

👀 Know someone who’s still figuring out what’s next? This could be just what they need.

They might have left school without a plan, college might not have worked out or they might simply need a bit of help working out what comes next.

That’s exactly what our Study Programme is here for...

📍 Know someone in or around Accrington, Bury or Oldham who’s unsure what to do next?

We can help people build their skills, experience and confidence before taking their next step into an Apprenticeship, employment or further learning.

They can work towards their maths and English Functional Skills qualifications, gain real experience of work with local employers and get personalised support from a team who will help them work out the route that’s right for them.

Support can also include:
🚍 Travel support
🍽️ Free meals
👶 Childcare support, where eligible
🤝 Personalised guidance and mentoring
💼 Experience of work with local employers
💬 A friendly and supportive place to learn

You don’t need to have your whole future figured out before you walk through the door.

Know someone this could help? Tag them, send them this post or share it with them. 📲

Want to find out more? Pop in for a look around or call to book onto an interview day!

📞 01254 395355

📧 [email protected]

01/10/2026

☕💚🧶 Coffee, cakes and crochet.

Yesterday, staff and learners across NLTG came together for our Macmillan Coffee Morning, turning a simple morning break into something much more meaningful.

Our team baked and brought in a brilliant selection of cakes and treats, giving everyone the chance to enjoy a sweet treat while helping raise money and awareness for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Over the weekend, our Study Programme learners, Eli and Emily, were busy creating a lovely selection of handmade items especially for the Coffee Morning, from mini coffee cups to crochet cupcakes to cancer ribbon keyrings. ✨

Their creations were made available for staff and learners to purchase, helping raise even more money for Macmillan. It was brilliant to see the time, creativity and thought they put into supporting the day, and they deserve a huge shoutout for getting so involved. 👏

Throughout the morning, staff and learners stopped by, enjoyed the treats, had a catch up and spent time together.

And with International Coffee Day today, it felt like the perfect time to share a few moments from yesterday’s morning.

Generosity, creativity, conversation and a real sense of community. 💚

It is a lovely reflection of our THRIVE values, I for Inclusion – celebrating everyone’s contribution and the sense of community that comes from staff and learners coming together.

A huge thank you to everyone who baked, donated, created, bought something or joined us throughout the morning. ☕🍰💚

30/09/2026

🚨 THINKING ABOUT HIRING IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS? READ THIS FIRST.

From 1 October, a new £2,000 apprenticeship hiring incentive becomes available for eligible SMEs taking on apprentices aged 16–24.

But that £2,000 could be just the start.

Depending on who you recruit and the eligibility criteria, employers may also be able to access:

💷 £1,000 for hiring an apprentice aged 16–18
💷 £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for eligible 18–24-year-olds
💷 £2,000 Foundation Apprenticeship incentive
📉 National Insurance savings for eligible apprentices under 25
🎓 100% funded apprenticeship training in eligible cases

And in some circumstances, these incentives can be combined.

So if you are already thinking about recruiting, expanding your team or bringing new talent into your business, it is worth checking what support could be available before you hire.

You could be eligible for thousands of pounds in incentives and savings while developing someone through an apprenticeship.

At NLTG, being Responsive to Need means helping employers make sense of changes like this and understand the support available to them. It is the R in our THRIVE values and a big part of how we support businesses across the country.

📩 Speak to our team and find out what your business could be eligible for...

📲01254 395355
📧[email protected]

Eligibility criteria apply. Support available will depend on the employer and apprentice circumstances.

28/09/2026

🛠️ Want to learn specialist skills and kick start a hands-on career? Take a look at this! 👀

SEL Environmental Ltd in Blackburn are looking for an Apprentice Plastic Fabricator to join their team, with the opportunity to gain a Level 2 Lean Manufacturing qualification while earning and learning on the job!

If you enjoy practical work, love a challenge and want to develop new skills in a specialist industry, this could be right up your street. 🚀

You'll get hands-on with specialist equipment, learn new techniques from experienced professionals and develop valuable technical skills while working towards your qualification.

📍 Blackburn
💰 £320 per week
🔥 Specialist training and real industry experience

No previous experience needed, just a willingness to learn and get stuck in!

🚀 Ready to turn your practical skills into a career?

👉 Apply now – Ref 15004

https://www.nltg.co.uk/job/15004/

Know someone who'd be perfect for this? Tag them below! 👇

25/09/2026

⚙️ What if your qualification came to you, rather than you having to go back to the classroom?

SFS Manufacturing Group Ltd in Blackburn is looking for a Manufacturing Apprentice, giving someone the opportunity to build practical skills while working towards a recognised qualification.

You’ll gain hands-on experience in a real manufacturing environment, learning from the team around you while developing the skills and knowledge needed for the role.

But the support doesn’t just come from your employer.

Through NLTG, you’ll receive 1-to-1, work-based learning, with our experienced tutors visiting you in the workplace to deliver your qualification and support your progress.

That means your Apprenticeship learning is connected directly to the job you’re doing, with individual guidance and regular support throughout your programme.

For us, that’s H – High Quality Delivery in action.

Providing Apprenticeship training in partnership with great employers that is personal, practical and delivered around the learner.

📍 Blackburn
💷 £312 per week
⏰ 39 hours per week
🎓 Lean Manufacturing Operative Apprenticeship
🔎 Vacancy Ref: 14999

Plus, there’s a 12:30pm finish on Fridays. 👀

Ready to start building your career while gaining a qualification at the same time?

https://www.nltg.co.uk/job/14999/

24/09/2026

Community is at the heart of THRIVE 💗

We’re proud to support the Hyndburn Netball League and play a small part in helping local teams, players, umpires and volunteers come together through sport.

A huge well done to everyone involved in the Summer League 2026, and good luck to all the teams getting ready for the Winter League 2026/27! 👏🏐

Well guys, we got there!! 🙌
After everything we’ve had to contend with — the new surface, which mostly affected the Wednesday Hyndburn Netball Summer League 2026, England football also taking priority on Wednesdays, the patience of all the teams, and, of course, the weather — we finally made it!🏐👏
Div 1, Marvelous Mellor with first place, 👏👏
closely contested with second place,
Dazzling D.C.L. 👏👏
Div 2, Wonderful Warriors Helios with 1st place, 👏👏
closely contested with second place
Jubilant Jackers👏👏
🙌 a very closely contested division.
Div 3, Leaping Libra with first place, 👏👏
closely contested with second place, Game of Throws👏👏
Thank you to all of our umpires, trainee umpires,
scorers, players, and our generous sponsors , of the League. North Lancs Training Group - NLTG 🫶
Penny Thomson
See you all at the Primetime & Hyndburn League Presentation 🎉
Now it is time for you to get ready for the
Hyndburn Netball Winter League 2026- 2027 😊

23/09/2026

Today marks the first official day of Autumn, and with October just around the corner, there’s another reason for employers to start thinking about their next Apprenticeship hire.

From 1 October 2026, eligible non-levy paying employers could receive a £2,000 incentive when recruiting a new apprentice aged 16–24.

So, if growing your team has been on the agenda, now could be the time to explore what an apprentice could bring to your business.

Could a new recruit bring fresh skills and ideas into your team?

Do you have a role where someone could learn, develop and build their career?

Or could an Apprenticeship help you develop the skills your business will need in the months and years ahead?

At NLTG, the T in THRIVE stands for Transforming Lives.

For an apprentice, that transformation can begin with being given an opportunity to enter the workplace, gain real experience and work towards a recognised qualification.

For an employer, it’s an opportunity to develop new talent, build skills around the needs of the business and invest in the future of their workforce.

And there is further support available too, with apprenticeship training costs fully funded for eligible apprentices aged 16–24 with non-levy paying employers.

Whether you’re considering recruiting an apprentice, developing your existing workforce or planning for future skills needs, speak to our team about the options available.

🍂 New season. New opportunities to develop your people.

Find out how NLTG can support your workforce...
📞01254 395355
📧[email protected]

21/09/2026

✨Vision 60 ✨

At our recent NLTG Team Briefing , we brought everyone together to officially launch Vision 60, our plan for the next few years as we look ahead to our 60th anniversary.

Vision 60 is about much more than reaching a milestone. It is about building on everything NLTG has achieved so far while making sure our learners, employers and communities remain at the heart of everything we do.

During the day, we launched our new Vision, Mission and THRIVE Values, giving us a clearer direction for the future and a shared set of values to guide how we continue to grow, improve and create meaningful impact.

Everyone shared their ideas and ambitions by completing a “By the time we are 60, I want us to…” slip, which was then added to our Vision 60 Time Capsule to open as we reach our 60th anniversary.

We are excited to look back and see just how much we have achieved together.

We also invited staff to sign our Vision 60 Commitment Posters as a collective sign-up to the vision and the future we are building together. These will now be displayed across our centres as a lasting reminder of the commitment our people have made to Vision 60.

The afternoon gave us a brilliant opportunity to catch up, reflect, share ideas and enjoy a really positive afternoon together as one team.

Vision 60 is a key part of this quarter’s Shaping What’s Next campaign, bringing together the people, opportunities and impact shaping NLTG’s future. From learner achievements and new programmes to employer partnerships and community activity, the campaign reflects the progress already being made and the direction we are continuing to build towards.

And this is only the beginning. There is plenty more to come from Vision 60, with more stories, activity and milestones to share as we continue shaping what’s next.

Proud of our past. Committed to our future. 💗🩵