Kaplan Australia continues acquisition spree, snaps up Carrick Education with eye on skills shortages

Kaplan Australia has snapped up vocational and higher education group Carrick Education Group for an undisclosed sum, just weeks after its purchase of registered training organisation Franklyn Scholar.

Carrick, which offers college-based vocational and higher education programs and calls itself a leader in private education, was founded by Catherine Carrick in the late 1980s. Kaplan has flagged a three-month strategic review of Carrick’s operations, which will not be rebranded.

Catherine Carrick, who now serves as managing director, is expected to remain associated with the company “for some time”. Kaplan Asia Pacific chief executive officer Mark Coggins will become the acting CEO of Carrick Education Group.

Coggins says the deal is an important step in building Kaplan Australia’s growth and “signals a bright future for the Federal Government at this time of skills shortages and high demand for access to robust vocational education opportunities for domestic and international students.”

It also points to further consolidation in the multibillion-dollar education industry.

When Franklyn Scholar was acquired by Kaplan Australia earlier this month, its founder Ryan Trainor said although the combined company would become the nation’s largest private national education provider, it would have less than 5% of the Australian market.

Trainor told SmartCompany this month that Kaplan would remain and grow in Australia for the short- to medium-term.

Trainor added the tie-up was underpinned by similar company philosophies and would help Kaplan capitalise on business demand for workforce training to help cope with Australia’s skills shortage.

Trainor said the registered training organisation sector is still a cottage industry in Australia, with numerous competitors but very few with a national presence in an industry where scale is an asset.

Carrick has campuses in Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney.