The company was started in February 2000 by Jo Small as Specialist German Language Services. She wanted to bring a much needed fresh approach to language learning that was built on high standards of quality provision. The company was extremely successful and soon started receiving requests for further courses in English and French.
As her own reputation grew in the fields of language education and Skills for Life, there was growing demand for consultancy services and so in 2003 the company changed its name to Optima Training (UK) Limited. The new name reflected the wider offering of languages and services.
In 2005 the company was joined by Mark Small, bringing over 13 years experience in customer service industries, which allowed Optima Training to provide additional business support activities.
In 2006 Spanish and Italian were added to Optima’s core language offering and they continue to deliver successful programmes across a range of sectors. By insisting that their trainers are more than just natural language speakers, but have a proven track record in relevant industries, they feel that they are able to understand business objectives and tailor their programs accordingly
Optima Training specialises in:
In terms of languages, Optima offer tailored business training that focuses on the provision of target driven learning in areas that will impact on business success. They specialise in modern foreign languages (such as English, French, German, Italian and Spanish) at all levels.
In terms of supporting education providers, they have been involved with a number of government initiatives to improve the level of basic skills within the workforce, and have played a part in the production of both learner and support materials. This puts Optima Training in an ideal place to review the provision of basic skills support within colleges and work with them to ensure that the quality of provision is maximised.
In terms of project management, they seek to bring commercial project management techniques and apply them appropriately within an academic context. For example, Optima successfully managed a challenging cross-faculty project in support of a regional University as it prepared for the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) – an important source of funding for Higher Education Institutions.
Since Optima Training was established, the company has exceeded turnover targets and growth projections. They have successfully been involved in a number of interesting and challenging projects. These include project managing the establishment of a £4.4 million project to reengineer academic processes within a local University in order to improve on how it engages responsively with local employers, particularly in the SME sector.
The company developed materials for the Modern Foreign Languages interactive resource for teachers, which won an award in the category of Innovation at The Royal Television Society Education Awards in June 2008.
The work undertaken by Optima has allowed Jo to make a significant contribution to the regional languages landscape, which was a contributory factor to her being appointed as a national lead for Modern Foreign Languages in the post 16 sector.
By relocating to the Newark Beacon, Optima has been able to expand beyond the constraints of a business run from home, by taking on and training a new member of staff, and providing a more professional working location for their trainers and consultants.
The professional image that the offices promote is also considered to be a contributory factor in their increased engagement and participation in service provision with local businesses – something that is very important to the ethos of the company.
Finally, the easier access to meeting space has enabled Optima to promote language training to local business through hosted events, such as their European Day of Languages that took place on the 26th September at the Beacon.
Mark Small of Optima Training said, “The services offered at the Newark Beacon have helped us to expand our business, and are seen as an important factor in our recent success.”
For further information on units available at the Newark Beacon please call Sarah Jones, centre manager, on 0845 650 0028 or email sjones@newarkbeacon.co.uk.