Shoosmiths advises leading training and apprenticeship provider on £6m investment and acquisition

National law firm Shoosmiths has advised UK-wide apprenticeship and training provider Progress to Excellence Group Limited on a £6m investment from Praesidian Capital Management Europe LLC.

The firm also advised Progress to Excellence Group Limited on a subsequent bolt-on acquisition of Complete Training Solutions Limited (CTS).

Progress to Excellence Group Limited delivers flexible apprenticeship training and assessments in organisations of all sizes across numerous sectors ranging from health and social care to warehousing and dentistry to retail. The business has been operating for more than 20 years and has 140 employees throughout the UK with its head office located in Birkenhead, Wirral. The £6m investment will allow the company to grow and acquire more training businesses, such as CTS, to its portfolio.

CTS is one of the country's leading health and safety training companies, serving the renewable energy, construction, maritime and oil and gas industries. CTS is based in the heart of Liverpool and runs onsite, and offsite training courses at its state-of-the-art facility.

Milton Keynes-based corporate partner Amit Nayyar led the deal. Senior associate Claire Checketts, solicitor Aleks Bosch and solicitor Emily McQueen worked on the corporate elements of the transaction. Partner David Adams, associate Charlotte Thomas and paralegal Stephanie Pye provided banking expertise, while associate Jen Paton simultaneously ran the bolt on acquisition CTS by Progress to Excellence.

Sandra Kirkham, CEO at Progress to Excellence, said: "The multi-faceted advice given by Shoosmiths on both the investment into Progress To Excellence and our bolt-on acquisition of CTS was seamless. There were many elements that had to be dealt with from a legal perspective and Shoosmiths has the capability to deal with this all under one roof.

We're very passionate about what we do, and we're very much looking forward to growing our business."

Shoosmiths' Amit Nayyar, said: "It was a pleasure to have been instructed by Progress to Excellence to advise on this complex transaction. These deals really do make a difference in their sectors. We are very pleased to have played a role in this one and wish Progress to Excellence all the best for the future."