Training boost for Cornwall’s SMEs

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An announcement that the Government is putting more funding and flexibility into skills support for businesses is set to help SMEs in Cornwall in their battle to survive the current economic difficulties.

Thanks to the extended funding, The Learning and Skills Council’s (LSC) Train to Gain campaign has launched a new initiative that includes a more flexible training and development package for SMEs. 

Companies across the South West can benefit from the free service which provides help for businesses of all sizes and sectors to train and develop their employees.

Train to Gain now offers SMEs funding for bite-sized chunks of training in business-critical areas including amongst others: business improvement; business systems and processes; team working and communications; sales and marketing; IT, customer service; new product design; finance and credit; cash flow and profit management; and risk management.

Chris Minett, Skills Development Director at Train to Gain says: “Businesses need to keep a tight rein on costs, yet research shows that businesses that do not train their workforce are 2.5 times more likely to fail than those that do. This is why the Government is putting more funding and flexibility into skills support for businesses through Train to Gain. Investing in training for your people is an investment in your business both now and in the future.

“Investing in skills and training offers many direct business benefits. Staff are more efficient and motivated, cutting waste and boosting profitability. A typical 50-employee company could save £165k every year by filling the gaps in its employees’ skills. Training can also help you stay ahead of the competition, whether that means mastering new technology, making the best use of IT, improving your customer service, more success in competitive tendering, reducing waste, higher staff retention rates, improved productivity or diversifying to generate higher returns.”