“Membership to DSTPN always provides a great service by enabling organisations in the skills sector to work in a collaborative way and improve the experiences of learners. Membership has given Serco support in delivering our ESF Funded Skills Support for the Workforce and Skills Support for Redundancy contracts and helping us to maintain and build our connection to the sector across the Heart of the South West and Dorset LEP area. It is by building and nurturing strong relationships with our partners such as DSTPN that we best meet the needs of our customers.”

The DSTPN network brings together providers from across the region and enables sharing of good practice and support to the network members. It holds regular meetings with relevant and timely updates and has a wide range of external speakers on key topics. It provides a collective voice from its providers and is an effective mechanism to lobby on behalf of members to government on key agendas. It is an incredibly friendly and supportive group which has come into its own during COVID-19. BTC are proud to be a member and would highly recommend to others.

“We have been members of the DSTPN for many years and have found them to be a well organised and informative organisation. The forum enables us to discuss key issues with other local training providers and also to get a view from other key stakeholders such as the LEP. Working together collaboratively is key and the DSTPN is an effective way of us all achieving this.”

“The Dorset and Somerset Training Provider Network has provided Aspire Training Team with fantastic networking and partnership opportunities with other businesses and providers in the county. They have been a key source of information by sharing timely Government funding updates as well as providing general awareness of new government funding opportunities for both businesses and training providers. DSTPN has provided helpful opportunities to be introduced to products showcased by EPA organisations, portfolio systems and to discover what is currently on offer to training providers. The information provided by the DSTPN is clear, informative and a great way to share good practice across all training providers. They have played a crucial role in supporting Aspire with building relationships with schools and colleges, having been invited to a number of career events and opportunities to talk one on one with students and teachers. “

“The DSTPN is vital to ensuring all the myriad policy and funding dots are joined up to maximise their impact in Dorset.”

“DSTPN is a fantastic network of skills professionals. The regular meetings are a great mix of networking opportunities, sharing of best practice amongst providers of all types and up to date information and briefings from ESFA and Ofsted. The group came into its own during lockdown with regular sessions designed to address the various demands for tenders and information that were required by DFE.”