- 01 March 2025
- Apprentices & Success Stories & Employer Information &
HERE AT KLEEK WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR 25TH YEAR OF DELIVERING APPRENTICESHIPS TO THE HAIR AND BEAUTY INDUSTRY
We’ve come a long way since our foundation as Saks Education in late 1999 when we saw the need for expert work-based training to help the next generation of stylists and beauty therapists succeed in one of the world’s oldest creative industries!
Driven by this philosophy, we’ve achieved so much in these 25 years. In 2006, we received our first Outstanding Ofsted rating, followed by another one in 2021. We were voted the UK’s No.1 training provider for employer satisfaction by the ESFA (Education Skills Funding Agency) in 2016 and received prestigious awards for Hair and Beauty Apprenticeships Provider of the Year in 2022/23 and Best Apprenticeship Programme in Hair and Beauty in 2024.
We opened academies in Maidstone in 2017 and Darlington in 2020 and expanded further with academies in Colchester in 2023 and Newcastle and Stockton-on Tees in early 2024. And earlier this year, we opened our London base in Camden.
Tina Ockerby, Managing Director at Kleek Apprenticeships, is understandably proud of everything the company has achieved to date: “Kleek Apprenticeships’ ethos is all about delivering top quality education to all learners and ensuring employers feel involved and are a big part of the apprentices’ learning journey. It’s an amazing achievement to have trained well over 8,000 apprentices in over 850 salons in the last 25 years. It’s our learners and their employers that really make Kleek Apprenticeships tick. The industry has faced numerous challenges over the years, including more recently the impact of the pandemic and the rising cost of living, which have further exacerbated concerns for salon business owners. However, the industry must continue investing in the next generation of hairdressers, barbers, and beauty therapists to ensure its future success and growth. At Kleek, we are committed to providing the best training provision to support employers and learners, and to continue to nurture future hair and beauty professionals in the UK. Join us as we embark on the next 25 years!”
Kleek Apprenticeships is leading the way in hair and beauty education. We are not just focusing on the practical delivery but also consulting and advising government and education specialists on the essential standards and qualifications needed for the profession to thrive. Together, we can strengthen the industry at its grassroots level for the benefit of all.
