A FORMER government apprenticeships adviser has vowed to carry on providing work opportunities for ‘hard-to-reach’ communities after funding issues forced the closure of his firm.

Managing director Ejaz Hussain placed Burnley Telematics into voluntary liquidation after nearly 20 years, insisting that training resources from Whitehall had ‘dried up’ over the past year.

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Hundreds of apprentices were given their first chance in employment through the outfit – formerly based at The Learning Zone, in Daneshouse Road – across a variety of fields.

But Mr Hussain is now venturing out as the co-ordinator of the business forum, NW Asian, which is jointly chaired by former Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle and Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson, and has pledged to carry on in a similar vein.

He said: “It is very unfortunate but the funding issue forced us to take the decision to wind up the company.

“The government has cut the budget, particularly for smaller training companies, which has made things very difficult, especially when it came to sub-contracting work. At one time we were a Learn Direct centre also.

“I’m very proud of what we did with Burnley Telematics for 16 or 17 years, working with ‘hard-to-reach’ communities in finding training opportunities for hundreds and hundreds of young people. It was enjoyable working with Vince Cable (former business secretary) and advising him how he we could reach more and more apprentices.”

He now hopes that his work with the fledgling regional Asian business forum will give him the chance to further his longstanding commitment to apprenticeships.

Mr Birtwistle added: “Ejaz did a great job with Burnley Telematics when I was MP and serving as the apprenticeships ambassador. His work with myself and Vince Cable certainly benefitted many young people in Burnley.

“But the present MP has not even been to see him yet and with our new government the funding has dried up, which is a shame.”

The company, which was also visited by Culture Secretary Sajid Javid last March, was voluntarily wound up in September through Leyland-based administrators Riley Moss.