£1.5m scheme aims to boost skills levels across the Marches LEP

THE Marches Local Enterprise Partnership has set up a new initiative offering businesses in its area the opportunity to raise the skills levels of their staff.

The Marches Skills Provider Network will be offering people the chance to develop their knowledge, skills and career prospects as part of the £1.5m Employees Support in Skills project.

The project, funded by the European Social Fund, is being led by Riverside Training and delivered in Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin.

Professor Ian Oakes, the LEP’s skills board chair, said that as well as giving employees a chance to further their training, the project would support those who are under notice of redundancy to develop the skills they need to secure further employment.

“The LEP’s activity is focused on tackling skills shortages and overcoming the barriers to getting and keeping a job,” he said.

“We have skills gaps in emerging sectors and an ageing workforce.  This project is an investment in tackling those issues. Small businesses, in a variety of sectors, such as construction, food & drink, health & social care and business and professional services will be able to benefit from the project and access this training for their staff.”

Training available includes apprenticeships at all levels; support to improve English, maths and IT skills; support for learners with disabilities and development of leadership and management skills.

Roddy Christie, managing director of Riverside Training, added: “For the Marches region to remain economically competitive the upskilling of the workforce is vital and SMEs are the key to success in this respect.

“We’ve engaged with the very best trainers across a wide range of disciplines in order to deliver the training that these businesses need to succeed and flourish.”

The Employees Support in Skills project contract was awarded by the Skills Funding Agency to be delivered in the Marches LEP region.