Kleek Apprenticeships (or Saks Education then) was founded in late 1999 but delivered its first apprenticeship programmes in 2000.
- 28 May 2025
- Careers & Apprentices & Employer Information &
IN CELEBRATION OF OUR 25TH ANNIVERSARY, WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER 25 FACTS THAT EXPLAIN MORE ABOUT US AND OUR ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE.
Managing Director, Tina Ockerby, helped to develop the professional standards and wrote the very first Beauty Therapy apprenticeship in England.
We were the first training provider to put an apprentice through the very first beauty therapy standard and hairdressing standard, and both apprentices achieved distinctions!
Kleek Apprenticeships offer work-based learning across England.
Kleek is the only hair and beauty provider to hold an Ofsted Outstanding rating for 19 years, achieved in 2006 and again in 2021.
Our leadership team has over 85 years’ hair and beauty experience between them.
In 2016, Kleek was voted the UK’s No.1 training provider for employer satisfaction, beating 800 other providers.
The first Kleek Academy opened in Maidstone, Kent, in 2017.
The Kleek Academy in Darlington opened in 2020, and is now home to our Head Office too.
In both 2021/2022 and 2022/2023, Kleek won National Hair & Beauty Training Provider of the Year awards.
In 2023, Kleek Academy Colchester opened, offering its outstanding training in Essex.
At the VTCT Excellence Awards 2023, Kleek Apprenticeships gained ‘Educator of the Year’ and ‘Apprentice of the Year’ awards.
Kleek Apprenticeships has had over 1100 hair, beauty and barbering apprentices sit an EPA since the introduction of EPAs.
In 2024, Kleek Academy Stockton opened its doors.
Kleek Apprenticeships has had over 650 apprentices achieve a merit or distinction in their final EPA.
An academy in Newcastle upon Tyne opened within the famous Grainger Market in 2024.
In 2024, Kleek won the inaugural Apprenticeship Guide ‘Best Apprenticeship programme in Hair and Beauty’ award.
Across the last 25 years, Kleek Apprenticeships has grown its education provision from 10 apprentices in 2000 to over 1,000 by early 2025.
Kleek Apprenticeships has partnered with Little Lady Locks, the children’s hair loss charity since 2024.
Kleek Apprenticeships was the first training provider to put a learner through the new standard-based apprenticeship. This learner received a distinction.
Kleek has achieved the highest % of distinctions year on year compared to any other company to date.
In 2025, Kleek Academy London launched in Camden Town, serving some of London’s best salons.
Kleek was awarded top prize at the AHT Learning & Development Awards 2025.
Kleek has trained over 8,000+ apprentices across 850+ salons and counting...
Kleek is nominated for Training Provider, Educator, Apprentice and VTCT Champion of the Year at the VTCT Skills Excellence Awards 2025.
Celebrating 25 years with Kleek!