Today we celebrate 25 years of TIGERS.

It’s a moment to pause and reflect on the journey so far, and to look ahead to what comes next.

When TIGERS began, it started with a simple but powerful belief from our founder John that if we invest in people and create opportunities, their potential can unfold in ways that change individual lives, families and communities.

That belief continues to sit at the heart of everything we do.

TIGERS was founded to help young people find their way into work by supporting them to build confidence, develop skills and gain meaningful opportunities. From the outset, it was never just about qualifications. It was about belief in people, encouragement, and the relationships that help individuals grow and succeed.

John’s vision established a culture that still defines TIGERS today. It is a culture where potential is recognised, support is consistent, and learning is understood as something that involves the whole person.

In 2018, I stepped into the role of Managing Director as John moved into the position of Chairman, allowing us to build on the strong foundations he created and guide TIGERS into its next stage of development.

No organisation reaches 25 years without the dedication of the people who believe in its purpose.

One person who deserves special recognition is our Director of People and Culture, Laura, who this year celebrates 23 years with TIGERS, after joining our ‘Get Ready for Work’ course in 2002 and joining our team as a Modern Apprentice in 2004.

We also have several colleagues who have been part of the journey for 15 years, and many others, past and present, who have dedicated 10 years or more of their careers to this work.

Over the years we have also had the privilege of seeing many members of our team grow into leadership roles, developing their careers within the organisation, or moving onto new opportunities, or even starting their own businesses.

That continuity and growth say something important about the culture of TIGERS. People are not simply part of a workplace; they are part of something they believe in. It is that shared commitment, particularly during moments of challenge and change, that has helped shape the organisation we are today.

Today TIGERS supports people at many stages of their learning and employment journeys.

Our work includes:

• School programmes and Skills for Work courses supporting young people while they are still in education
• Pre-apprenticeship programmes delivered in partnership with local authorities
• Foundation Apprenticeships and Modern Apprenticeships contracted by Skills Development Scotland
• Continuous professional development programmes for the Construction and Early Years sectors

Across all these programmes, the goal remains consistent: helping people build not only skills and knowledge, but also confidence, resilience and direction.

At the heart of TIGERS is a simple philosophy: relationships matter.

Relationships between learners and mentors.
Between employers and apprentices.
Between colleagues who support one another through challenge and growth.

Our ethos of Relationship-Led Practice recognises that people learn, develop and thrive when they feel safe, supported and valued.

This understanding, grounded both in experience and in the science of human development, has shaped the way we work for the past 25 years.

In 2013, we expanded this philosophy into early years care through the creation of Lullaby Lane Nurseries. We wanted to create a nursery where parents and carers felt emotionally safe and secure leaving their precious children in the care of loving adults. From this ethos we developed our Attachment-Led Practice.

A special milestone was the creation of our partnership with The R&A at Golf It, where we created Lullaby Lane Nurseries at Hogganfield Loch, providing a unique and inspiring environment for children and families.

In 2021, Paradigm Landscapes became part of the journey, created with the clear purpose to provide apprenticeship and employment opportunities within a real working environment that is trauma-informed and relationally led.

Together our three organisations now form The Tigers Group, united by a shared commitment to supporting people to develop their infinite potential.

In 2018, we co-founded ACE Aware Nation, bringing leading voices including Nadine Burke Harris, Gabor Maté and Fritzi Horstman to Scotland.

One moment that stands out from that time was seeing 2,000 people fill the Armadillo in Glasgow to hear about the impact of adverse childhood experiences.

In 2025, Tigers hosted the Biology of Belonging Conference, welcoming Gordon Neufeld, Dan Siegel, Darcia Narvaez, Richard Schwartz and Claudia Gold, with 400 people attending over two days.

These events reflect our belief that relationships and belonging are fundamental to human development.

Partnerships have always been central to the work of TIGERS.

Creating meaningful pathways into work requires collaboration across many organisations who share a commitment to supporting people to develop their skills and potential.

Over the past 25 years we have worked closely with employers across multiple sectors, as well as local authorities, Skills Development Scotland, Developing the Young Workforce, sector skills councils and Qualifications Scotland to design and deliver programmes that connect learning with real opportunity.

These partnerships have allowed us to support young people through school programmes, apprenticeships and employment pathways that reflect the needs of both individuals and industry.

At times these collaborations have also operated at significant scale. Our joint venture with Carillion supported the creation of over 1,100 apprenticeships in construction, while our more recent partnership with Morgan Sindall helped support 153 young people into employment.

But beyond any individual project or partnership, what has remained consistent is a shared belief that when education, industry and community work together, more people are able to access meaningful opportunities.

While today is a moment to celebrate the past, we are equally focused on what comes next.

In 2026, we will launch our own Host Employer Model, creating 60 new pathways into employment and training while supporting employers to develop the workforce of the future.

Our ambition is to continue developing TIGERS as a first-choice, industry-led and relational education model and facility.

Looking back over the past 25 years, what stands out most is the people who have been part of this journey.
Thousands of learners finding their path, colleagues growing into leaders, employers investing in future talent, and partners who share a belief in the importance of opportunity and connection.
Together they have shaped TIGERS into what it is today.
And as we look ahead to the next chapter, our focus remains the same, we will continue to create opportunities, build relationships and inspire potential.
And the final word goes to our founder, John Gibson
“We are delighted to celebrate our twenty-five years of trading. Over that period, we have supported thousands of young and adult persons in the preparation for moving into the world of work whilst achieving high rates of sustainable employment with a strong emphasis on apprenticeships.
The Tigers Group has continued to experience strong financial growth and now employ 92 team members to meet demand for our services.
Our team are the catalysts to ensuring we deliver a quality and industry driven delivery to meet learners, businesses, and social economy aspirations for Scotland”.

Inspiring potential since 2001.