tq-timeline

TQ Education and Training Limited was founded (as TecQuipment) in 1958 by Sir Joseph Pope, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Nottingham University. TecQuipment specialised in the manufacturing of engineering based educational equipment for use in further and higher education establishments.

Over the following 30 years the business was developed to include large turnkey engineering equipment projects for values up to £70m.

By the late 1980's projects had begun to include not only laboratory engineering equipment but also the provision of contracted training staff and curriculum development. By the 1990s most major contracts involved training only, with the design, implementation and delivery of educational and vocational training programmes.

From the year 2000 onwards TQ won a number of major, long term education and training contracts. These contracts included; The Defence Sixth Form College (DSFC), The Royal School of Military Engineering (RSME) plant operator training, the Saudi Petroleum Services Polytechnic (SPSP) and the Libyan Management Development and Professional Certification Centre.

In 2008 TQ divested its interest in the manufacturing side of the business to solely concentrate on the ambitious growth plans for the education training business.

TQ acquired three businesses later in the decade which significantly increased the training capabilities of the organisation. This included the acquisition of Training for Advancement - management and personal development training - in 2009; Catalis - technical and health and safety training - in 2010; and The Coaching Space - worldwide executive coaching skills provider - in 2011.

In 2011 TQ was also successful in winning the Army Welfare Officer Training contract in a difficult market place.
In October 2011 TQ was acquired by Pearson, the world's leading learning company.

In April 2012 TQ acquired power engineering and utilities specialist training provider, MET UK.

In late 2012 TQ was awarded two major contracts in the MENA region: the first with BP to operate a Technical Training Centre in Oman, and the success of the SPSP contract in Saudi Arabia led to the award of a second Polytechnic in Al Khafji.