We’ve invested more than £1million into our specialist Jarrow training facilities
A Jarrow training business is entering an exciting new chapter.
Simply Learning, on Church Bank, in Jarrow, helps to upskill thousands of construction, renewables and utility professionals every year.
In 2024, the business was acquired by UK National and it has since seen more than £1million invested into the expansion of its head office and two training centres, in Jarrow.
The move will allow Simply Learning, which already delivers more than 200 training courses ranging from health and safety to plumbing and manual handling, to introduce new courses, increase its headcount and training capacity, as well as strengthen ties with local employers.
A previously mothballed office building on the site will be turned into a new regional office for UK National, as the organisation continues to expand its footprint across the North of England and into Scotland.
Sonny Parker, managing director of UK National, said: “Since we acquired Simply Learning 18 months ago, we’ve been working hard behind the scenes to get the business in a position where it can really scale and realise its full potential, and this investment is a culmination of both of those things.
“Thousands of people every year tap into the fantastic training provided by the Simply Learning team, be it those entering the workforce or existing employees working for our private and public sector clients, and this expansion will allow us to further strengthen its offering.
“It will provide us with the space required to deliver more training, create more jobs and ultimately, help plug the skills gap which is currently a major barrier to growth for businesses across the UK’s construction, renewables and utilities sectors.
“It will be key to ensuring we continue to have the skilled people required to drive these sectors forward, now and in the future.”
The significant investment follows the appointment of Claire Irving as the managing director of Simply Learning.
Since joining in January 2025, Claire has played a key role in devising the plans for the refurbishment of the company’s head office and training centres.
She commented: “According to the latest findings from the CITB, the UK needs over 250,000 extra construction workers by 2028 to meet current levels of demand.
“Add to that the workers required in the supply chain and in fields such as engineering, renewables and utilities and the need for skilled staff becomes even more stark.
“That is why it’s pivotal that we continue investing in not only attracting new people into the workforce, but also upskilling existing workers, and this is where organisations like ours really come to the fore.
“Over the past 20 or so years, we’ve helped upskill tens of thousands of people and thanks to this significant backing from UK National, there is no reason why we can’t further build on this as we look to the future.
“It marks an exciting new chapter for both businesses, and I couldn’t be happier to be taking on this exciting new challenge.”
UK National has also received support from South Tyneside Council, which has worked closely with the organisation on its proposals.
A South Tyneside Business Growth Grant was awarded towards the redevelopment of the site, funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Councillor Margaret Meling, lead member for economic growth and transport at South Tyneside Council, added: “This is fantastic news for South Tyneside.
“Not only will this investment breathe new life into a disused building, but it will also provide opportunities for local people to gain new skills and secure high-quality jobs.
“We’re proud to have been able to support the project and look forward to seeing the company continue to grow over the coming months and years.”
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