Surveying services company Silkstone Environmental has praised the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership’s Skills Bank programme after securing vital training for staff during lockdown.
When the Coronavirus pandemic took hold of the nation, the company’s survey department essentially closed overnight. Silkstone Environmental took action to look for new opportunities and to find new ways of securing business. They did this by securing a land surveyor qualification for their Surveyor, Ben. This allowed them to bid for new work and expand their portfolio to offer a land surveying service.
Jill Barrett, Director, said: “Before I searched for support, Skills Bank wasn’t something I knew anything about. However, after putting in a request to find out more, I spoke to one of the skills advisors, Amanda Ryalls, who explained to me how Skills Bank could help us, and the history the programme has of supporting businesses.
“Amanda assessed the skills needs of the business and worked closely with me to identify what support was available and how Skills Bank could provide a viable solution.
“Amanda helped out with our application to ensure it was as good as it could be before we submitted. We were really impressed by how straightforward and quick the process was. From our application to confirmation we’d been successful was less than two weeks, which, during the current climate, gave us some added peace of mind.
“Ben’s new qualification in Engineering Surveying means we can bid for larger projects where several Surveyors can work together. Ben gaining this formal qualification will open us up new potential clients and whole new markets and expand what we can offer to existing customers.”
James Muir, Chair of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “Skills Bank helps business to get the right skills and training. The Mayor and the LEP are supporting South Yorkshire’s economy, working together with business to address the immediate challenges, but also ensure we build back better. As always, we are open and here to help. I encourage all businesses to get in touch with the Growth Hub and get the advice they need.”
Ben added: “This training gives me updated knowledge of ever-changing survey methods and confidence in my knowledge and understanding to get the best results for the client. It will also give me the opportunity to work towards becoming a registered chartered surveyor in the future.”
Skills Bank gives employers across the Sheffield City Region access to high-quality training and funding to enable them to develop their business.
Skills Bank has launched two new strands to its programme to help businesses affected by the Coronavirus.
The new strands include a suite of online training programmes for businesses who need support during the crisis, and a rapid response offer for businesses helping with the government’s Coronavirus strategy, such as producing protective personal equipment (PPE) or sanitisers.
Expert skills advisors help businesses to submit their applications and advise what other support is available.
To make an enquiry, businesses can visit https://skillsbankscr.co.uk/