Education & Training

Education is a diverse, outcomes-driven system shaping participation, skills and long-term economic capability. As skill demands shift, education and training businesses must balance limited resources, rising expectations and scalable delivery models. We bring clarity through deep commercial insight and sub-sector expertise, identifying where value is created and shaping strategies for sustainable performance and growth.

We help our clients:

We assess market potential, evaluate opportunities and understand where expansion – organic or buy & build – creates the strongest long-term value. Our work identifies which segments are scalable, where competitive advantage can be leveraged, and how providers can best position themselves in an evolving landscape.
We help education and training businesses understand their competitive strengths, test how propositions resonate with learners, parents, employers and commissioners, and identify the factors that set organizations apart. Our work supports sharper differentiation and a more defensible market position.
Funding models and regulation shape demand, risk and commercial viability across the sector. We support clients in understanding where funding and policy exposure creates constraint, and where shifts unlock new avenues for growth.
We bring analytical depth to proposition development, pricing and commercial strategy – helping education businesses differentiate effectively, protect margin and unlock new revenue opportunities. This includes evaluating how AI-enabled delivery affects value proposition and operations.

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From multi-site operations to digital and hybrid platforms, we test operational effectiveness and delivery models to ensure businesses can scale sustainably. This includes assessing where AI can enhance efficiency, support personalization and strengthen the proposition.

Case Studies

Expertise in action:

Pricing strategy review

How did fast customer insight give an education business the clarity to sharpen pricing before scaling?

An education business wanted to refine its pricing approach ahead of a critical period of growth. CIL launched a customer survey within days to quickly get to the heart of the data. Within two weeks, CIL made precise price recommendations, optimizing the client’s positioning, and simultaneously identifying the best response to emerging competitive threats.

Regional demand analysis

How did data shape an education provider’s regional growth decision?

A specialist education provider wanted to expand across new local authorities but lacked clarity on regional demand and supply to do so with confidence. CIL used drive time analysis, advanced location analytics and interactive dashboards to assess demand drivers, local competition, and commissioning behaviors. The work brought the market to life, helping the client benchmark current sites and confidently select the next location for rollout.

Three things on skills & employability

The future of skills and employability is being reshaped - and the implications for training providers, employers and investors are huge.

Mark Jeynes, who leads CIL’s Education & Training Practice, shares three key things you should know.

Sub-sector expertise

We work across the education and training landscape, helping clients move forward in complex, fast-changing markets.

Ready to get started?

Early years, K-12 & special education

Demand pressures, rising complexity and tight funding environments are reshaping provision across mainstream and specialist settings. We support operators to scale responsibly, strengthen delivery models and improve commercial resilience. For investors, we assess market dynamics, quality drivers and long-term sustainability across a fragmented and diverse landscape.

Education technology & support services

Digital platforms and support services are reshaping how education is delivered, managed and supported. We help businesses strengthen product-market fit, scale sustainably, embed technology with purpose, and navigate pricing and delivery challenges. For investors, we assess platform stickiness, defensibility and long-term growth potential.

Skills, apprenticeships & employability

The skills landscape and system is evolving rapidly as employer demand, learner behaviour and policy priorities shift. We help providers optimize delivery models, sharpen pricing strategies, and adapt propositions to areas of long-term need. For investors, we assess demand drivers, market positioning, commercial models and growth potential.

Higher education

Universities and alternative providers of higher education are navigating funding pressures, shifting learner expectations, fluctuations in international student flows, and increasing scrutiny of value and outcomes. We help higher education providers refine their propositions, improve commercial resilience, and position for sustainable growth. For investors, we analyze funding exposure, market trends and differentiation.

company organising training person sitting on laptop

Corporate & workforce training

Businesses are investing in capability-building to address productivity challenges, retention pressures and critical skills gaps across industries. We help providers sharpen propositions, demonstrate value and scale effectively. For investors, we assess demand drivers, delivery models and growth opportunities across diverse end markets.