Improving labour market relevance ESF contracts 2016-18 Improving labour market relevance Shaping futures, changing lives

Shaping futures, changing lives Project is named Skills Support for Businesses To provide support 645 SMEs in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear and Northumberland and place 798 graduates and students into businesses to address skill shortages Contract end – 31st July 2018 Contract likely to be extended to March 2019 Northumberland College are the Prime contract holders and have 7 delivery Partners - Gateshead College, NBSL, Red Kite, Sunderland University, Tyne Coast College, New College Durham, Zenith People Shaping futures, changing lives

AIM of the Contract To address the current skills gap by engaging more effectively with SMEs to help them assess their training and business needs The provision of support and interventions to assist their development and growth. Collaboration between other ESFA contracts to provide employers with full wider offer. Work as a catalyst for businesses and training providers to establish future training requirements and recommend qualifications and courses that may require development to ensure that relevant and suitable training is available to address future business needs across the NE Securing placements and internships for students and graduates to work with businesses to deliver projects and growth.

What we expect the contract to deliver The project must demonstrate that it is truly collaborative and complementary to what is delivered by other contracts targeting SMEs Connecting business and education is a key part of this contract. Its overall aim is to develop an improved education system with strong links to industry particularly in the priority sectors. An evaluation will help inform future skills provision and ensure the skills offer is adapted to meet the current and future needs of businesses

Skills Support for Business – Deliverables Eligibility Evidence to show that the company is an SME (below 249 FTE) Maximum ESF support of £200k over the last 3 years Priority in 14 sectors – Tourism, Manufacturing, Personal Services, Forestry, Logistics, Life Science and Healthcare, IT & Creative Industries, Other

Skills Support for Business Deliverables Training Needs Analysis Skills programme Evaluation & Report of the skills programme Student Placement Programme will last up to 3 months depending on employer needs Collaborative working this is more about the journey the SME is making through the intervention with the programme than actual training

Types of support delivered to date Web design & support GDPR/Data Protection Social media marketing Business Planning, Skills and Growth New Markets Sales Training Cookery HR Policies and procedures Utilities Competency certificates in Forestry

Achievements to date Worked with over 500 employers across 11 of the priority sectors Created 165 Placement Opportunities with employers undertaking the programme Started 139 placements Created 56 apprenticeship opportunities

Employer Examples of support New market growth – Allendale Forge, M J Hickey, Thorntons Competency Based qualifications – Envirocare, Chris Short Landscaping, Guru Jamez Utilities – Chris Gill/Stan Timmins Development of an introductory management course for newly appointed employees Development of SMART metering apprenticeship 65 childcare businesses are receiving support in business and financial planning, marketing strategy, cohort approach

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