Companies across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire are being urged to take advantage of a multi-million pound skills training fund to upskill their workforce.
Co-financed by the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), via the European Social Fund and the Education and Skills Funding Agency, the £16.74 million fund is aimed at small and medium-sized businesses.
The training is delivered as part of a programme called Skills Support for the Workforce (SSW), which is being managed by public services provider Serco across both counties.
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D2N2 is working in partnership with Serco to provide skills development that focuses on upskilling employees in eight priority sectors identified in the LEP’s strategic economic plan.
Through SSW, eligible businesses can benefit from funded training, tailored to their specific needs. Subjects covered include IT and digital skills, leadership and management or more vocationally relevant courses.
The SSW programme also offers support and training for individuals at risk of redundancy or those who have been made redundant within the last three months.
Rachel Quinn, head of people and skills at D2N2 LEP, said: “I’m delighted to be partnering with Serco to help people working in our region enhance both their skills and their careers.
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“The fund is not only great for them but also for their employers who should experience benefits to productivity and innovation as a result of these new skills, a core aim of the D2N2 Strategic Economic Plan.”
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Rob Matts, head of skills support for the workforce at Serco, said: “I’m delighted that Serco has been selected by the Education and Skills Funding Agency to manage the SSW programme in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire in partnership with the LEP.
“We have already supported more than 20,000 learners through our SSW delivery across England with more than 7,000 businesses benefiting from this important service.”