Digital training academy hails successful first year

Wednesday, 14 November 2012

Wirral’s CPL Training says its digital and creative training academy has welcomed dozens of young people through its doors since last year’s launch.

Birkenhead-based CPL set up an “e-learning” arm in 2010 to create training software packaged for its clients. The company employs 30 people and has carried out projects for national and international brands. The team includes programmers, designers and animators who use 3-D animation to make training programmes more engaging.

Last year, David Dasher, head of CPLe-learning, decided to set up an academy to offer training and work experience opportunities for young people looking to get into the creative and digital sectors. Mr Dasher says the scheme has been a great success – and wants more young people to sign up.

He said: “Merseyside is a real source of talent in the creative digital sector, yet opportunities for many youngsters can be few and far between. As a company, we are growing quickly and are constantly in need of added resources.

“From our infancy, we took the approach of focusing on young talent who, while bringing something fresh to the table, we would also be able to develop professionally to work in the CPLe-learning way. Our team is a really young one and the older team members are keen to support our more junior members of staff.

“Our business model of working with young people was perhaps a risky one but has proven to be a huge success. Young people sit at the heart of CPLE-learning and we will continue to act as a centre of development and excellence within this sector, presenting exciting and stimulating opportunities.”

CPL’s courses have covered subjects from Food Safety to Manual Handling. Its clients have included brewer JW Lees. Junior Animator Jacob Baylis, 19, worked with CPLe-learning during his summer break from studying Computer Animation at Liverpool John Moores University.

He said: “I’ve had lots of practical, hands-on learning during my time with the company – it’s been brilliant to be part of a professional team and seeing a project through from beginning to end. I’ve developed my skills and learnt how to use different software and new programmes.

“I now have credible experience and project work on my CV which I’m sure will help boost my career prospects in the future.”