Carter & Carter Group, the provider of outsourced support services and learning solutions, has announced the acquisition of Assa Training & Learning Limited.

The UK provider of adult vocational skills and training services is to be sold for a total of £24.2m, of which £21.7m will be paid on completion of the deal and £2.5m will be paid after Carter & Carter announces its preliminary results for the year ending July 31, 2006.

In a statement, Carter & Carter said the acquisition would establish the company as one of the UK’s leading work-based learning providers and would broaden its customer base beyond the automotive sector.

The company also said it would compliment its existing apprenticeship learning business and would provide further penetration into the Government funded training and learning market, which the directors estimate is worth approximately £1.3 billion.

More details to follow in the August 26 issue of AM