MBKB Training

Following its Outstanding Ofsted rating in October 2022, Bridgehead Communications was appointed to the position MBKB’s Chief Executive as a thought leader in the skills and training sector, while communicating a clear, reform‑focused vision for the future of apprenticeships to policymakers and industry stakeholders. MBKB wanted to:

• Establish its Chief Executive as a recognised voice on skills policy

• Promote a reform‑focused vision for improving apprenticeship delivery

• Engage policymakers and sector leaders in discussion around proposed reforms

• Showcase MBKB as a provider of choice within its target sectors

Activity needed to raise MBKB’s policy profile while also strengthening its commercial positioning within the training market.

We implemented a thought leadership‑led public affairs and media engagement programme.

Following a discovery session to define MBKB’s proposed apprenticeship reforms, we identified relevant sector and political news developments to act as hooks for commentary and opinion‑led content.

We developed and placed a series of articles in sector and policy‑focused publications, and convened a parliamentary roundtable, hosted by Peter Aldous MP, to provide a platform for MBKB’s leadership to engage directly with employers and policymakers on the future of apprenticeship reform.

The campaign has delivered increased visibility for MBKB’s reform agenda among policymakers, employers, and industry stakeholders.

Media Coverage & Thought Leadership

To date, we have secured:

• 14 pieces of sector and policy coverage

• Five opinion articles in FE Week outlining MBKB’s reform proposals

• Placement in policy platform CAPX, reaching a Westminster‑focused audience

In addition, a dedicated edition of MBKB’s monthly sector newsletter, The Mark, was distributed to approximately 4,000 decision‑makers across government and the training industry.

Based on SEMRush traffic estimates, campaign content has reached over 11,000 unique readers working in either the government or the training sector.

Policy Engagement

A key milestone was the parliamentary roundtable discussion: “How to Optimise Apprenticeships Amidst Widespread Degree Devaluation.”

Hosted by Peter Aldous MP, the event brought together senior representatives from leading apprenticeship employers, including:

• Mitie

• GoAhead

• McGinley

• British Transport Police

• County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service

The discussion generated broad employer consensus around MBKB’s proposed areas of reform, including improving completion rates, enhancing online learning delivery, and increasing flexibility within apprenticeship standards.

Strategic Impact

Insights from the roundtable were compiled into a policy report for use in subsequent stakeholder meetings and reform discussions.

As a result, the campaign has:

• Elevated MBKB’s leadership profile within the skills policy debate

• Increased industry awareness of its apprenticeship reform proposals

• Facilitated direct engagement between employers and policymakers

• Strengthened MBKB’s positioning as both a sector advocate and training provider