Funded training snapped up by Sheffield businesses

13th June 2014

More than 140 employees are benefiting from training support after Sheffield Chamber of Commerce secured funding towards the cost of the courses.

The Chamber gained assistance from the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) to pay 90 per cent of the cost towards selected training sessions which were available to businesses across Sheffield. More than 30 companies in the city snapped up the offer within days of it becoming available, with courses running throughout June and July. The normal cost of the courses was £250 per individual but with the assisted funding, businesses were able to pay just £25 for the sessions. Courses which were taken up by businesses focused on Leadership and Management, including Finance for the Non Finance Managers, Succession Planning, Introduction to Supervisory Management, Bids and Tenders Masterclass, Presentation Skills and Export Documentation. Julie Hardwick, business services manager at Sheffield Chamber said: "The response to the offer was fantastic. We have worked very hard to ensure these courses really help the business perform better through the actions of its employees. -Even though the course is competitive in price, the investment in time by the business is significant, and it needs to see a return. We understand that! This is why we wanted to make the training as cost-effective as possible for a wide range of small and medium sized enterprises. -Our stringent internal controls, and an awareness of the demands on business leaders, give the Chamber great confidence that these courses are fit for purpose and deliver great value to the attendee. Sheffield Chamber is now hoping to announce another phase of funded training shortly to both members and non-members in areas where there is additional skills shortage. The discounted training is available to businesses with less than 250 employees and a turnover below £34million. For more information contact the Sheffield Chamber's training department on 0114 201 8888 or visit www.scci.org.uk/training-services.