Care provider wins new Adult Learner Award, thanks to support from BCTG

A Black Country care provider supported by training group BCTG has won one of the first Adult Learning Awards from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).
LJM, based in Brierly Hill, delivers care packages for around 300 individuals in the local community, with services ranging from shopping to dispensing medication.
The company picked up its trophy on Thursday 18 May at the inaugural Adult Learning Awards, which showcased the impact of WMCA-funded adult learning, skills and training courses.
BCTG has worked alongside LJM for the past two years and has successfully delivered 25 Adult Care Diplomas at Levels 2 and 3.
BCTG also ran its first pre-apprenticeship ‘bootcamp’ with LJM, which gave unemployed participants an introduction to the care sector, a short course on care delivery and a work-based experience week, with guaranteed interviews for full-time Level 3 apprenticeships.
Steve Burnet, business development lead coordinator at BCTG, said: “LJM fully deserves this award, as they pride themselves on outstanding customer and client services and are incredibly focused on developing staff within the business.
“We nominated LJM on the back of the tremendous service they provide to the community, as their staff are very passionate about providing the best care service possible and the general welfare of everyone they look after.
“By administrating medication, doing health checks and the like, LJM reduce the need for their service users to contact local GPs, thus reducing the strain on the NHS.
“In times where perhaps the care sector has had its fair share of negative press, it’s very refreshing to see such a people-first focused employer.”
Samantha Little, care manager at LJM, said: “We’re thrilled to have received this award and want to say a big thank you to everyone at BCTG who have supported us in developing the skills of our staff.”
The Adult Learning Awards took place at Conference Aston in Birmingham where Andy Street, the elected mayor of the West Midlands, presented the awards.
The event was hosted by Nicholas Bailey, the Birmingham-born actor, research fellow, writer and coach, best known for playing the role of local GP Dr Anthony Trueman in BBC’s Eastenders from 2000 to 2005.
The awards have been developed in partnership with the Learning and Work Institute.