Local training providers are adapting their provision to support York’s businesses with a range of online resources including webinars and short courses for business leaders and employees.

City of York Council

For impartial recruitment or skills support (including apprenticeships, traineeships and work placements), contact City of York Council’s Employer Engagement Adviser, Bob Watmore:

E: Robert.watmore@york.gov.uk

T: 07769 640241

Pro-Development

Pro-Development is offering a range of employee engagement and development programmes to support you, your managers/leaders and the business to becoming a high performing workplace.  From 1:1 coaching sessions, through to team events and 7-month experiential leadership programmes, each are aimed at helping individuals and teams bring out the best in each other and drive business growth. Pro-Development are also one of only a small number of providers who can currently offer fully funded Back to Business peer to peer groups from September 2020 and 40% funded mentoring for individuals through the West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges which covers SMEs across the region.

Cost: Costs vary for each programme, some are fully funded but many are eligible for 40% funding.

Examples of training available: Empowering Leaders outdoor/experiential 7 month programme with coaching, coaching, mentoring, 6-12 week online short modules on leading and managing, team building and employee engagement programmes

Find out more: https://www.pro-development.co.uk or call us on 01904 928838

Quantum Vantage

Quantum Vantage is offering a range of personal development and coaching programmes focusing on transforming your business and empowering you to make change.
Cost: Fully and part-funded
Examples of training available: Women in the Workplace, Business Transformation, Future Female Leader and Personal Transformation.
Eligibility criteria:
Find out more: https://quantumvantage.co.uk/

University of York

The University of York has developed a suite of free short online learning sessions to support local businesses. These courses, a mix of live and pre-recorded content, are written and developed by University of York staff and tutors and cover a wide range of topics.
Cost: Free
Examples of training available: Time management, agile management, managing change, thinking differently, reviewing and resetting marketing strategy and activity during COVID-19.
Find out more: www.york.ac.uk/online-training

In addition,the University of York is also working with Product and Process Innovation (PAPI) to deliver online innovation workshops. Find out more: https://york.papi.org.uk/innovation-workshops-3/

York St John University

York St John University is offering a three-work short course in digital, designed to provide learners with insight and understanding into a range of processes and activities focused on digital marketing. The course will support you in developing digital marketing strategy and give you experience of the tools and tactics that can be used to communicate effectively with your audiences and customers online
Cost: Free
Eligibility criteria: There are no pre-requisites for this course.
Find out more: https://digital.yorksj.ac.uk/short-course-overview/

York College

York College is offering a range of individually priced Business and Professional Short Courses, plus more than 45 online Continuous Professional Development courses

Cost: Costs vary for each course. Please check on the link below or contact York College direct for more information

Examples of short courses available: Management & Supervisory Skills, How to use social media to improve your company’s visibility, Microsoft Office skills, IOSH, Supporting Mental Health
Link: https://www.yorkcollege.ac.uk/course-types/431-employers/business-professional-courses-employers/2504-business-short-courses.html

Cost: Introductory offer of any 4 modules for £60
Subjects covered: Accounting and Finance, Childcare and Education, Leadership and Management, Health and Social Care, Personal Development and Employability, Health and Wellbeing
Link: https://www.yorkcollege.ac.uk/course-types/431-employers/business-professional-courses-employers/4153-cpd.html

York Learning

York Learning offers a selection of courses and services which can be delivered remotely to flexible timescales – including free opportunities in English and maths and a flexible ICT programme.
Cost: Costs vary for each course. Please contact York Learning direct or check on the link below for more information.
Examples of training available: ICT, Maths, English & ESOL, Family Learning, Counselling and Information, Advice & Guidance (IAG)
Find out more: https://yorklearning.org.uk/business/

York SMEs are also able to access skills support from two Local Enterprise Partnerships and other regional partners – including a range of fully funded training courses, peer to peer sessions and digital training.

York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) – Skills Support for the Workforce (SSW)

If you’re an SME based in York, North Yorkshire or East Riding, you may be eligible for free training through the Skills Support for the Workforce project. Training is funded by the European Social Fund and the Education and Skills Funding Agency.

Cost: Fully funded
Examples of training available: Customer Services, Logistics, Business Administration, Team Leading, Resilience and Recovery in Business, Digital Productivity, Promotion and Growth, and Health Care courses including Coronavirus (Covid-19) and Pandemic Awareness, Customer Service, Logistics (theory), Business Administration and Team Leading.
Eligibility criteria: Small to medium-sized businesses in York, North Yorkshire and East Riding seeking training to support a business growth plan.

Find out more: https://ssw.fundingunit.org.uk/areas/ynyer/

The York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub has also created a new Learning Toolkit to help businesses and employees in York and the wider region access online learning resources during these difficult times.

Find out more: https://www.ynygrowthhub.com/how-we-can-help/coronavirus/coronavirus-skills-community/learning-toolkit/

Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP)/Winning Pitch

The LEP is offering a range of webinars and free weekly peer-to-peer sessions – providing business owners across the city region an opportunity to share ideas, raise issues, gain new insights and collaborate.

Cost: Free
Examples of training available: Leadership groups, planning for a phased lockdown exit, leading your team into recovery and best practices for marketing during and after COVID-19.
Eligibility criteria: SMEs within Leeds City Region boundaries
Find out more here: https://www.the-lep.com/business-support/events/webinar-peer-to-peer-discussions/ and register to attend webinars here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/winning-pitch-30137500028

In addition, the West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges offer a number of part and fully-funded programmes aimed at tackling social mobility and connecting the education and business sectors. Find out more: https://www.westyorkshirecolleges.co.uk/

Local providers who offer services as part of this consortium include:

Harrogate Business Advisors Ltd helps SME business owners increase profit and create more time for themselves.
Cost: Costs vary depending on training required but part-funded courses are available
Subjects covered: Specialists in accelerating growth and increasing sales. A unique training offer based on the aspirations of the business owner and tailored to the individual. The duration of training will depend on the needs of the business and the trainees so it starts with a no obligation ‘discovery’ session where costs and funding will be explained.
Link: https://www.hbadvisors.co.uk/

Blue Ridge Performance Management Ltd provide learning and development services to help businesses grow through developing their people; building capacity, knowledge, skills, competence and confidence.
Subjects covered: Blue Ridge are specialists in Mental Health Awareness and Mental Health First Aid. Join the upcoming Mental Health First Aider courses which will be running each month (August to October). The course is made up of four live sessions (approx. 2.5 hours each) and costs £200. Find out more.
Other subjects include: Leadership training, Business Coaching, and Personality Profiling. Costs of other training varies.

Upcoming Mental Health First Aid Online course in September. The course qualifies delegates as Mental Health First Aiders. Delegates will need to be available for 4 live sessions and to complete individual learning in between the live sessions.

Please find dates of the live online sessions below:

MHFA COURSE September:
Tuesday September 22: 9am – 11.15am
Friday September 25: 9am – 11.30am
Monday September 28: 9am – 11.15am
Thursday October 1: 9am – 11.15am

MHFA COURSE October:
Tuesday October 6: 9am – 11.15am
Friday October 9: 9am – 11.30am
Tuesday October 13: 9am – 11.15am
Friday October 16: 9am – 11.15am

The course cost is £200 plus VAT.

Link: www.blue-ridge.co.uk

Digital Enterprise

Digital Enterprise are offering a range of Digital Knowledge Exchange webinars on a variety of digital topics.
Cost: Free
Examples of training available: Customer engagement, business resilience, content marketing and digital marketing strategy – including areas such as getting your website found on Google and finding your target customers on social media.
Eligibility criteria: SME’s within Leeds City Region boundary.
Find out more: https://www.digitalenterprise.co.uk/digital-knowledge/events/. Register here: https://www.digitalenterprise.co.uk/de2/

On a national level, businesses can benefit from a wide variety of free courses organised by the Government that cover a diverse range of topics. In addition to this, many industry bodies and other national organisations are offering accredited and non-accredited training support.

Gov.uk

An online learning platform with a range of free courses to help boost the nation’s skills while people are staying at home, has been launched which on the gov.uk website. The new ‘Skills Toolkit’ platform gives people access to free, high-quality digital and numeracy courses to help build up their skills, progress in work and boost their job prospects.
Cost: Free
Examples of training available: Social media, learning how to code for data analysis, creating a professional online presence and the fundamentals of digital marketing.
Find out more: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-free-online-learning-platform-to-boost-workplace-skills

Department for International Trade

The Department of International Trade are offering a range of webinars to support SME’s to adapt and grow their business, drive sales and develop marketing and communication strategies.
Cost: Free
Examples of training available: Logistics & movement of goods during COVID-19, risk management when considering new markets, managing disruption of supply chains during COVID-19.
Eligibility criteria: UK SMEs
Find out more: https://www.events.great.gov.uk/ehome/trade-events-calendar/all-events/index.php

Federation of Small Businesses (FSB):

The Federation of Small Businesses has created a skills hub to support members with the resources needed to ensure business continuity and to help you build and grow your business in the future. Find answers to your legal questions, demystify the digital world and learn how to build a robust business model.
Find out more: https://www.fsb.org.uk/skills-hub.html

Construction Industry Training Board (CITB)

For further information on the types of support currently available to CITB employers please go to https://www.citb.co.uk/urgent-messages/ or contact your local CITB representative.

We will update this page regularly with new opportunities, but we are also keen to understand any other training or skills development you or your employees may need.

To discuss your requirements, please contact us on business@makeityork.com