1. Improving labour market relevance
ESF contracts
Improving labour market relevance
Shaping futures, changing lives

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. Any Questions?