Training firm ESTL closes after wrangle over contracts

Sep 14 2010 by Kevin Core, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

AROUND 40 workers have lost their jobs after a struggling training company finally ceased trading.

Enterprise Solutions Training Ltd (ESTL) was at the centre of a multi-million pound education dispute in September 2009 after Kirklees College refused to pay in a dispute about the quality of training.

Workers who were employed to deliver training for cab drivers and retail courses say they were strung along without pay for months and some said they had lost their homes.

More than half the company staff were made redundant as a result of that dispute and now the remaining workers have been told they have no jobs.

The final blow came at a meeting.

Staff were told to have a week-and-a-half away from work before being summoned to a meeting with managing director Rachel Stirling.

At the meeting she told staff the ongoing investigation at Kirklees College was complete and they still had not received monies owed.

One source said: “The meeting didn’t last very long. Rachel said we were all being made redundant with immediate effect and the company had ceased trading.

“There was a solicitor there. They said the company was owed £4m but they owed £2m to their creditors.

“If they can recoup any of the £4m they will pay the creditors first and if there was anything left in the pot they can pay us.

“Obviously the chances are we won’t get anything.