Help with investing for the future

Help with investing for the future
Businesses that invest during a recession often emerge stronger and more competitive than they were before. In fact, independent studies have found that companies that don’t invest in growth, training, research and development during a recession are two‑and‑a‑half times more likely to fail than those that do invest.

Making the Skills Pledge
Many companies now are making the Skills Pledge.

This public demonstration of the importance you place on investing in the skills of your people helps increase your employees’ confidence, motivation and productivity. Employers who make the Skills Pledge are also supported with impartial advice from the Train to Gain service

Funding and support for training
Train to Gain is the Government’s flagship service which supports employers in England, of all sizes and in all sectors, to invest in the skills of their employees. Specialist brokers can advise you on your business’ skills needs, the courses available, the most appropriate providers of training and the public funding available. There is specific government funding now available for small and medium‑sized businesses and voluntary organisations, including funding to retrain employees and for short courses – including on leadership and management – which have been proved to be useful for businesses

Visit the Train to Gain website or ring 0800 015 5545 for more information.

You can also contact your local college or university to find out how it is working with local businesses to provide training flexibly and easily, in order to ensure that the training offered fits in with the way your business works and can be tailored to your needs.

HERO’s ‘University finder’ makes it easy to find your local universities and colleges and gives contacts for their dedicated business teams.

Training support for apprentices
Apprentices can bring many benefits to your business – increased productivity, improved competitiveness and a committed and competent workforce. You can get full or partial financial support for training up to the equivalent of A level

Visit the Apprenticeships Service website or ring 0800 015 0600

Helping specific sectors
Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) can give specialist advice and access to extra and more flexible funding to meet the needs of your specific sector, including for example the hospitality, construction, manufacturing, chemical, pharmaceutical, nuclear or engineering sectors

Visit the Alliance of Sector Skills Councils website for SSC contacts

Supporting business research and innovation
To help your business take advantage of research and new technologies and processes, there is now greater assistance available from universities and research institutions, and a range of additional funding and support. Knowledge Transfer Networks and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships enable businesses to link with universities and research institutions to share and take advantage of research findings and new developments

Visit the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills Business Gateway website.

Small and medium-sized firms can access real help through a web portal or by contacting their local Business Link adviser on 0845 600 9 006.