All 70 employees of collapsed Liverpool training firm Scientiam will lose their jobs, administrators say.
However, efforts are being made to make alternative arrangements for its 700 trainees who are mostly teenagers and young adults.
Scientiam collapsed on Monday and administrators Tim Askham and Robert Adamson from Manchester-based Mazars were appointed.
The company operated the Academy One retail training centre based on the edge of the Liverpool One retail development in Hanover Street.
Scientiam had previously been based in Birkenhead but had relocated its operation to the Hanover Street site last year. It also has offices in Chester, Runcorn and Warrington.
In a statement, Mazars said: “The appointment (of administrators) reluctantly followed an internal review supported by advice from the external auditors which concluded that Scientiam had become insolvent and could not continue its operations.
“Learner numbers not reaching targets coupled with clawbacks of previously advanced funding combined to drain Scientiam of its cash resources.
“Scientiam employs some 70 staff and in addition engages several external agencies to deliver skills training to around 700 learners, most of whom are 16 to 18-year-olds and young adults.
“Although the administrators have had to announce cessation of all activity, and have commenced redundancy consultations with all staff, it is nevertheless the primary concern to facilitate as orderly a hand over of these learners to a successor organisation as rapidly as possible.”
The administrators say they are keen to talk to organisations interested in taking on the trainees and are also in discussions with training funders including the Skills Funding Agency and National Apprenticeship Service (NAS).
In a statement the Skills Funding Agency said: “The agency and NAS’s priority is to work with Scientiam and any administrator appointed to transfer learners/apprentices to appropriate providers, as quickly as possible, with minimal disruption, so that they can continue their learning/Apprenticeships.
“The agency will be writing to all learners and apprentices to confirm next steps and has set up a mailbox so that any concerned learners/apprentices, parents or guardians can contact the agency.”
Trainees affected by the collapse of Scientiam, or their parents or guardians, can contact the Skills Funding Agency via email – Scientiam@skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk
Any training agencies wanting to speak to Mazars about taking on trainees can contact the firm on 0161 831 1100.
