Skills Bank

Skills Bank is a programme that puts employers from across the region in charge of their own skills and training needs.

Developed by the Local Enterprise Partnership, the programme enables businesses to invest in their workforce and improve their productivity.

Private sector investment is matched with public funding to help businesses to deliver bespoke, tailor made training.

Skills Bank brings about a new culture in the skills system; a flexible pot of funding which empowers employers to choose their training provider and invest in the skills that they need to support business growth.

Key features of the Skills Bank include:

  • Access to funds for bespoke, tailor made training
  • Skills Advisors who can help to support you in defining your skills needs
  • An approved list of quality training providers
  • Flexibility to choose from an approved list of suppliers or to find a provider specific to your needs

Skills Bank is an innovative skills investment programme. Designed to support growth within businesses through investment in training, it provides flexible funding to deliver bespoke, tailored training. Driven by employer-need, approved ‘deals’ allow a business to decide who, how and where training is delivered.

Through our Growth Hub which offers specialist business support we have a team of Skills Advisors who can work with businesses to understand how an investment in training can support plans for growth, how to apply (where appropriate) for funding, and to connect with high quality training providers.

Find out more here.

Skills Support for the Workplace

Skills Support for the Workplace (SSW) provides fully funded support to boost skills in your business through a wide range of different programmes. The programme offers accredited full level 2 and part level 3 qualifications alongside tailored support for your business.

As a result of the on-going Coronavirus pandemic, SSW are delivering a wide range of programmes remotely, which includes using online technology, posting out the portfolio of work and providing support over the phone. The portfolio of remote learning is increasing and currently available in the following areas:

  • Administration
  • Cleaning
  • Customer service
  • Education and training
  • Health and social care
  • Hospitality
  • Team leading
  • Warehousing

Find out more and apply here.

To find out what other support programmes are available, take a look at the Growth Hub Support Finder. The Support Finder lists all skills and training support projects and initiatives that are currently available that we know of. If you know what training you require, our directory of Training Providers can be filtered in accordance with the type and level of training you are looking for. Feel free to have a browse at the different options available to you.

Online Skills Toolkit

The Government has released a large database of accredited courses in both digital and numeracy subjects to build workplace skills that can be learned by individuals from their home. Participants don’t have to be employed and the only commitment required is a little time. Find out more here.