Grants of up to £18,000 available to upskill workforce

Distance learning experts Open Study College are offering grants of up to £18,000 for businesses looking to upskill and develop their workforce.

As selected suppliers, Open Study College are working in partnership with Birmingham City Council on its Supplier Skills Programme, which offers funding from £500 to a maximum of £18,000 per SME, of which 50 per cent will be funded by the SME and 50 per cent by the European Social Fund grant.

The scheme covers a range of courses, including project management, HR, finance, leadership and management as well as childcare, A Levels and GCSEs.

Head of Education and Development at the college, Robbie Bryant (pictured), said: “We 're really proud to have been selected as one of the providers who have access to the funding to support local SMEs to upskill their staff, which can only have a positive impact on economic growth within the region.

“We know every business wants to invest in staff training, but the cost is often a barrier, particularly during the current pandemic when purse strings are naturally even tighter.

“We will provide full assistance with the application process and as a long-established distance learning college, we are able to provide learners with the skills and qualifications they need without the impact on their working day of requiring to attend a physical college.

“The flexibility that our courses offer allows learners to complete their studies at their own pace and in line with Covid guidelines. ”

Small to medium sized enterprises which have been trading for six months, are based in Birmingham, Redditch, Bromsgrove, Solihull and the Wyre Forest, and are able to match fund the training costs are eligible to apply for the grant cash.

The £12million Supplier Skills Programme is part-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and managed by Birmingham City Council.

To register your interest and to find out more click here.