£1.8m skills fund now open to large employers in Leicester

A £1.8m fund for large employers in Leicester and the wider Leicestershire region aimed at training to help upskill staff in leadership and management has opened.

The funding for free training was launched for SMEs in the region last year through the Skills Support for the Workforce project and it has now been extended to enable larger organisations, employing over 250 people.

The scheme, which is co-financed by the European Union’s European Social Fund and the Education and Skills Funding Agency, will now offer businesses of all kinds – large, small to medium, sole traders, social enterprises or third sector organisations – the chance for their staff to gain professional leadership and management training to help raise productivity and boost business growth.

Skills Support for the Workforce’s senior development manager, Sajid Butt, explains: “The free training on offer through the Skills Support for the Workforce project has been specifically designed to bridge the gap in leadership and management skills within the region, which is just as important for larger organisations as it is for SMEs.

“There are more than 425,800 people of working age living in Leicestershire. However, some employers have reported that they find it difficult to recruit people with the right qualifications, skillset or level of training, particularly when it comes to leadership and management skills.”

A wide range of leadership and management training courses are available, including: people management, team leading, influencing skills, conflict management, strategic management, organisational planning, financial management, budget management, stakeholder management and project management.

Butt added: “The fully-funded scheme is encouraging employers to get their staff working towards bespoke training courses and professional qualifications in leadership and management, meaning the organisations can enjoy a range of benefits from improved decision making to increased employee retention.”

Those interested in applying for the funding, which is led by Calderdale College must act quickly as it’s only available until Spring 2018.

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