1 INTRODUCTION & PURPOSE · Web view5.2.1 As a primary target we want training programmes to focus on helping to improve career progression and opportunities to enter digital roles

KEY ‘PEOPLE AND SKILLS’ PROGRAMMES AND SUPPORT SERVICES www.westofengland-ca.gov.uk/skills

West of England Combined Authority

Digital Skills Investment Programme – medium-and-higher-level skills:

Grants Programme

APPENDIX A – Specification & Guidance Document

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1 INTRODUCTION & PURPOSE

1.1 The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) area has a growing digital sector and growing demand for specialist digital skills resulting in skills gaps and hard to fill vacancies.

1.2 As part of WECA’s Recovery Plan, there will be a £2m investment into a Digital Skills Investment Programme. Up to £1m is available through this Call to help organisations, sector representative groups, employers and/or delivery partners in the WECA area to address their specialist medium and higher level digital skills needs through short, innovative, bespoke training courses.

1.3The fund is seeking applications from consortia who can work together to co-design and co-deliver creative approaches to address employer / sector ‘in demand’ digital skills. These can be existing or new collaborations and can consist of any combination of employers, training providers, Colleges, Universities, sector representative groups and/or other community or charity organisations – there is no set formula. Employers applying to the fund must have a base and operate in the WECA region and training providers and other organisations must be able to demonstrate that they have clear links to employers in those regions. Applications to this fund will be open from Monday 25th January 2021 to Monday 22nd February 2021 (12noon). We would like to fund a range of innovative delivery partnerships and we expect to fund bids in the range of £50,000 - £250,000.

1.4In developing this specification, we have been deliberately open about how digital training programmes will be delivered and have focused on defining the outcomes we are looking for to encourage innovation. We hope that this approach will provide a strong evidence base for how we might re-shape the skills system over the coming years in response to employer / sector need.

1.5It is important to note that responding to this Call is not a guarantee of funding. It is a competitive process with each response assessed against pre-determined criteria, which will help determine which interventions to fund.

2BACKGROUND

2.1 Digital skills are becoming ever more important in today’s economy and are a near universal requirement for employment. At least 82% of jobs require digital skills[footnoteRef:2] with employers indicating that about one-third of vacancies they find difficult to fill are, to some degree, attributable to a lack of digital skills amongst applicants.[footnoteRef:3] [2: Dept. for Culture, Media and Sport (2019), No Longer Optional: Employer Demand for Digital Skills] [3: Dept. for Culture, Media and Sport (2019), No Longer Optional: Employer Demand for Digital Skills]

2.2 The impact of COVID-19 has placed even greater emphasis on digital, with 78% of people saying the pandemic had escalated the importance of digital skills[footnoteRef:4], and 62% of furloughed workers identified digital skills as important for their future career[footnoteRef:5]. [4: Lloyds Bank UK Consumer Digital Index 2020] [5: Make it Click (June 2020) Research on furloughed workers, drawn from a sample of 2,003 UK adult workers. Conducted by Censuswide between 01.06.2020-03.06.2020]

2.3The term “digital skills” covers a wide array of competencies, knowledge and skills. The “No Longer Optional: Employer Demand for Digital Skills (2019)”[footnoteRef:6] report, which analysed millions of online job adverts in the UK to highlight the skills employers demand, identifies both the importance of baseline digital skills and also skills that are critical for job seekers to qualify for middle and high end skill roles. It identified the following eight common clusters that are in demand by employers: [6: Dept. for Culture, Media and Sport (2019), No Longer Optional: Employer Demand for Digital Skills]

· The Productivity Software cluster, which is requested in the vast majority of job adverts across the economy. These are categorised as ‘baseline’ digital skills.

· The other seven clusters are digital skills required within specific roles of sectors:

· Software and Programming;

· Networking Systems;

· Data Analysis;

· Digital Marketing;

· Digital Design;

· Customer Relationship Management Software; and

· Machining and Manufacturing Technology.

3 REGIONAL DIGITAL SKILLS PRIORITIES

3.1Digital skill requirements can vary from region to region, however, within the West of England, the picture is highly likely to be similar to the national requirements set out above. However, we are aware that this is not a comprehensive list and there will be other hard to fill digital vacancies. We welcome applications across any area where a clear employer / sector need has been identified.

3.2In addition, WECA’s own Labour Market Intelligence briefings highlight frequently sought skills in job adverts. This includes a wide range of digital skills such as auditing, business development and accounting.

3.3The West of England Local Industrial Strategy highlights sector strengths in: advanced engineering, including aerospace; creative, cultural and digital industries; and financial, business and legal tech services, as well as emerging sector strengths such as life sciences. Digital skills in these sectors, alongside cross-sectoral digital skills requirements, are therefore likely to be especially important for this region.

3.4Figure 1 below outlines a digital skills pathway for this region. This Call is solely focused at the medium and higher level digital skills gaps and opportunities, aiming to address step 4 of the Digital Pathway outlined below. This should be targeted provision at Level 3 (or equivalent) and above.

Figure 1: Digital Skills Pathway

4 SCOPE & FUND OBJECTIVES

4.1 We are specifically seeking proposals that train individuals for jobs that require specialist digital skills. Simply providing training and developing skills is not enough – we expect projects to have clearly identified job vacancies in digital roles at the outset with specific employers.

4.2 Essential digital literacy skills and digital skills for the general workforce whilst important are not within scope of this fund. This fund specifically focuses on developing enhanced and/or highly specialised digital skills.

4.3The key objectives of the fund are to:

· Address locally identified digital skills gaps; supporting employers to recruit to hard to fill vacancies requiring specialist digital skills and improve productivity.

· Building capacity amongst employers to co-design & co-deliver training in a way that is agile and aligns sharply with the specialist digital skill requirements of local employers.

· Supporting WECA residents to undertake training which will result in better quality employment and progression routes in digital roles both within digital companies and across all sectors e.g. finance, health, manufacturing etc. Career progression is a key focus.

· Diversify the digital talent pipeline by targeting groups that are currently under-represented in digital roles and designing training programmes to meet their specific needs.

4.4 As this is a test and learn project, we aim to fund a variety of different creative, innovative and flexible digital skills projects. We are looking to cover a wide range of digital skills, groups underrepresented in digital roles and geographic areas across the WECA region:

· Digital Skills. We want to see a range of projects covering different digital skills and job roles.

· Groups. We want to see different projects working with different target groups – there is no set formula. Diversity is key e.g. women, BAME, people with disabilities. We want to open up opportunities to people that may not have considered digital employment previously e.g.

career changers, returners to work. And improve social mobility e.g. low pay, underemployed.

· Geography. Benefits must be felt within the WECA geographical area.

5 KEY REQUIREMENTS

5.1 Programme Design & Content

5.1.1 Proposals must train individuals for ‘hard to fill’ occupations that require specialist digital skills. Therefore, there is an expectation that all projects have clearly identified job vacancies at the outset with specific employers. We do however appreciate that recruitment works differently in different sectors of the economy e.g. freelancing in the creative industries. (Where there is not a clearly defined vacancy at the end the onus is on consortia to explain why that is the case and how they will enable participants to gain paid work within industry at the end of the course).

5.1.2 Proposals should focus on demonstrating progression for participants; this means bringing in a new member of staff to fill vacancies that require specialist digital skills or progressing staff from lower skilled roles into mid/higher level digital roles.

5.1.3Partnerships delivering the training can be existing or new collaborations and can consist of any combination of employers, training providers, Colleges, Universities, other community or charity organisations. There is no set formula but we expect to see clear roles and responsibilities. We expect to see strong employer involvement in all partnerships – further details are set out below.

5.1.4 Expected Employer Involvement

· All proposals must be designed by or with/for employers, whilst also demonstrating wider sectorial and economic market relevance.

· Guaranteed interviews are required to those that satisfactorily complete courses. This doesn’t need to follow the traditional model of formal interviews; we are looking for creative approaches e.g. talent days, speed dating with employers, group interviews etc

· There is a requirement that employers benefiting from the training will offer significant match fund support. This should be cash match where possible, but in-kind can also be provided where this can be monetised. Examples of in-kind match include; use of premises, loan of kit, releasing staff for co-delivery e.g. masterclasses. Match funding can also be provided from other partners. (The volume/quality of match provided forms a key part of the value for money assessment). You should achieve at least 30% match funding, but match will preferably be at 50% (if there are exceptional circumstances in relation to match funding then please tell us, but they will need to be exceptional).

5.1.5 Training provision can be regulated (i.e. qualification based or accredited), or non-regulated (i.e. alignment with industry standards). We are hoping to work with a wide range of organisations and there is no requirement to be an SFA accredited training provider.

5.1.6 The focus is on intensive responsive solutions, filling job vacancies and supporting career progression. We expect to see this reflected in the length of courses. As a guide, the courses could be up to 12-16 weeks for full time and up to 20-24 weeks for part time. (Though we will accept a longer time period if there is a strong justification). We expect participants to move into employment within six months of completing programmes.

5.1.7 We are looking to test a range of ‘flexible’ delivery models to ensure a wide range of participants

can access training including those in-work. Consortia should be creative about the duration of courses, intensity, place/mode of delivery to best meet the needs of participants and recruiting employers. The onus will be on consortia to explain the rationale for the type of delivery they have chosen.

5.1.8 Proposals should be able to demonstrate scalability and the plans for ensuring sustainability of programmes and partnerships over the longer term.

5.2 Target Participants

5.2.1 As a primary target we want training programmes to focus on helping to improve career progression and opportunities to enter digital roles for WECA residents, particularly those currently in low skilled/low paid work and from underrepresented groups.

5.2.2 We also want to ensure that training is accessible to a wide range of different people, provides new opportunities to enter digital employment and improves the diversity of the digital talent pipeline. Good quality bids will show a clear focus on a specific group of participants.

5.2.3 Target participants include:

· Unemployed.

· Residents who have lost employment / income / education due to Covid-19.

· People that need additional support to secure a digital role e.g. career changers, returners to work, returners to the tech industry, graduates underutilising their skills.

· Groups that tend to be underrepresented in digital roles e.g. women, BAME, people with a health condition/disability, people over 50.

· Young people.

5.2.4 Proposals will need to show the approach to recruiting target participants and additional support that will be provided to help overcome barriers to participating in training and securing employment.

5.2.5 Charging participants in any form is not permitted under the rules of this fund. This includes any proposals that involve asking participants to pay the funding back afterwards.

5.3 Test and Learn Approach

5.3.1 We are interested in projects that may offer something different to the training that is already available. This fund is designed to address gaps in the marketplace where no fit for purpose digital skills training exists currently. Where existing bootcamp style training exists we will not fund a general expansion however we will fund proposals that build upon a current offer and adapt the training to the needs of different groups, employers and geographies.

5.3.2 We are particularly looking to test a range of different approaches that offer innovation and something different to what is already available in the following key areas:

· A programme built around specific job roles with real vacancies and guaranteed interviews.

· Defined groups of participants with recruitment and the way in which training is delivered designed to remove barriers to participation.

· Wrap around care that supports participants at all stages from recruitment to employment.

· Projects that propose doing something entirely new to address an unmet need or using the fund to make significant changes to existing bootcamps e.g. target participants, geographical reach.

· New partnerships with clear roles and responsibilities set out.

· Embracing new methods of recruitment.

· Flexible delivery models.

5.4 Eligibility

· Employers: The fund is open to any business that requires specialist digital skills across all sectors (public, private & voluntary) and sizes. Employers must have a base in the WECA geographical area and the fund must support training for jobs in those regions.

· Training Providers: The fund is open to any organisation with a track record of delivering industry relevant digital training including (but not limited to); private training providers, employer providers, social enterprises, colleges and universities. Organisations must be able to evidence that they have links with employers in the WECA region.

· Participants: Participants participating in training should be resident in the WECA region with the focus on providing new opportunities for residents to enter digital employment and improving the diversity of the digital talent pipeline.

6. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

6.1 The aim of this pilot is to train around 400 learners.

6.2 We expect 75% of participants to enter skilled digital employment or progress into better employment (this includes relevant higher/degree apprenticeships though this is not the key focus of the fund). This is across the entirety of the programme – we recognise that for some target groups this will be challenging to achieve but other projects may achieve closer to 100% and we will look at proposals on a case-by-case basis. We expect that participants progress into work within 6 months of completing the programme, as the objective is to fill hard to fill vacancies.

6.3 Providers will be accountable to WECA for all delivery undertaken through this grant funding; including providing management information (see 9.1 for further details).

6.4 We would encourage you to engage with a wide range of partners when developing proposals.

7. OTHER REQUIREMENTS

7.1 Supply Chains: As this fund is about testing different approaches and we want to drive social value in this funding round organisations will only be able to lead on one bid. They can however be part of other consortia arrangements.

7.2 Eligible Expenditure: We expect that the majority of the funding will be spent on the delivery of training. The funding can also be spent on activities to support this delivery e.g. recruitment of participants, support for target cohorts. A small amount of capital funding is likely to be acceptable for small individual items (eg laptops, specialist software) required for the provision of training – we will require this to be outlined in the financial breakdown as well as the use to which capital items will be put after the project. A maximum ceiling per item may also be applied by WECA. Overhead costs are eligible up to 20% of direct staff costs. Costs relating to travel and subsistence are excluded. Wage subsidies for participants cannot be paid for from this fund though can be covered by match funding and we would expect to see a strong rationale for why it is required. If you have any queries on acceptable eligible expenditure contact Adam Hickman ([email protected]) putting ‘digital skills’ in the subject line. All expenditure proposals will be considered in line with value for public money.

Appendix C is the Financial Annex which needs to be submitted alongside the Application Form. The Financial Annex contains further detail on eligible costs and the financial information that is required as part of your submission.

7.3 Use of Match Funding: Consortia are not permitted to utilise any practices that allow a profit to be made on the public money that is invested in this programme. Any match funding that employers are bringing must be clearly outlined and invested directly in the delivery of this training.

7.4Joined up Provision: We want to ensure that different skills and workforce programmes in the WECA region through regional and national programmes/initiatives are joined up, including signposting individuals onto other provision, programmes and services, where relevant. The list of ‘people and skills programmes and support services’ (below) is a summary of some of the existing provision in the region.

8 TIMESCALES AND MILESTONES

8.1

Date/s

Delivery Action

Monday 25th January 2021

Fund opens for applications, full criteria published

Tuesday 26th January 2021-Wednesday 10th February 2021

Opportunity to book a 1-2-1 slot to discuss proposals (this will be a max 30 min slot on a day tbc – please contact [email protected] if this is of interest)

Monday 22nd February 2021 (12noon)

Application deadline

Mid-February – Mid-March 2021

Assessment & Due Diligence

End March 2021

Applicants informed

Early April 2021

Contracts signed

April / May 2021

Mobilisation

April 2021 – March 2022

Delivery

8.2 Interested parties should be aware that there may be a second round of the Digital Skills Investment Programme, although this is not certain and will depend on the quantity and quality of applications that are received during this first round.

9. PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS

9.1Management Information: This will be collected on at least a quarterly basis to manage the performance and success of the provision. The lead provider in each consortium must provide timely information as required by WECA. Performance management data forms part of the terms and conditions which will be set out in grant funding agreements. Some examples of the types of data we are expecting to ask providers to collect are set out below:

· Details of course starts and employers engaged

· Monitor demographic information and characteristics of those participating

· Baseline employment status, skill level and current salary of participants

· Measurement of job outcomes / progression into work six months after course completion

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9.2 Payment: Following receipt of the signed grant funding agreement, payments will be made in arrears of an eligible claim where costs have been defrayed and evidenced and upon receipt of satisfactory monitoring reports. 20% of the grant will be retained and only paid upon evidence of successful outcomes. In exceptional circumstances a first payment (between 5%-10%) may be paid to the provider to get delivery up and running (any request for this should be set out in the application with a clear justification on why it is needed, although please note it is not expected that upfront payment should be required). Further payment schedules should be set out by consortia within their bids as part of the financial breakdown. Payments will be paid within 30 days of the date of the invoice.

9.3Evaluation: WECA may commission an independent evaluation to evaluate the impact of the programme. Providers will be expected to work closely with the evaluator for example collecting and sharing participant data, information on course design and in some cases taking part in interviews of focus groups to share your experiences of being part of the pilot. Successful providers will be expected to share their bids with the evaluator following grant award.

10. SKILLS AND EXPERTISE CRITERIA REQUIRED

10.1 This project prioritises the delivery of employment outcomes and expertise of working with employers requiring specialist digital skills. As part of their proposals, organisations must be able to show their ability to work with employers and deliver industry relevant quality training courses.

10.2 Consortia must provide and maintain the necessary facilities and employees with appropriate qualifications, clearances (DBS) and experience to undertake the training and to provide the management information required for regular reporting.

Workforce of the Future (WFTF) Programme

WFTF provides tailored, in-depth support to help businesses plan and adapt for the future. The programme can support with identifying current and future skills needs, implementing development plans to upskill or retrain employees and supporting SME’s to bring in apprenticeships or work placements to help drive their business forward. Key strands of support available through WFTF are:

· Workforce planning, diagnostic service and general support;

· Digital support and upskilling;

· Apprenticeship advice and levy transfer support;

· Improving skills across the region; and

· Staff retention / pre redundancy support.

Participation is free and available to SMEs (less than 250 employees) in the West of England (B&NES, Bristol, and South Gloucestershire).

Register at: www.wearegrowth.co.uk/homepage-module-skills-and-workforce-development/skills-and-workforce-development/

Future Bright

Future Bright offers free career coaching, training and support to help individuals to develop the skills and confidence needed to take their next career step. When joining the programme, you’ll be matched with a career coach who’ll support you to create a personalised action plan. Future Bright can support people who are:

· Aged 19 and over;

· Living in the West of England – that’s Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire;

· Currently in paid work and receiving benefits or tax credits (Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Job Seeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Employment Support Allowance, Housing Benefit, or Means-Tested Council tax Reduction).

To help people whose income or employment have been affected by the Coronavirus crisis, the eligibility criteria for Future Bright have been temporarily expanded. The expanded service can now also support:

· Those who have been made redundant, laid off or are at risk of redundancy, as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

· Employees whose hours have been significantly reduced and therefore have a lower income (e.g. zero hours, cut from full to part time)

· Self-employed workers, where their ability to earn has been severely impacted due to the nature of their business

· Furloughed employees, if their reduced income means they are eligible for Universal Credit.

Register at: www.westofengland-ca.gov.uk/future-bright/

Careers Hub

Our Careers Hub works with all 95 schools from across Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset, supporting them to improve careers opportunities and work experiences for young people, allowing them to make more informed choices about their careers.

The Careers Hub works to ensure that young people have more opportunities to connect with the world of work and potential future employers. It builds on the success of the Enterprise Adviser Network, working in partnership with schools, colleges, and businesses to ensure young people get timely and relevant careers advice and meaningful work experience.

The world of work is changing fast. We therefore need to build a skilled and informed workforce to ensure that our young people are ready to cope with the fast pace of technological change.

Through our Enterprise Adviser Network and Careers Hub, volunteers from business work directly with school and college leaders to bridge the gap between the worlds of work and employment, bringing business and education closer together.

To find out more or register to become an Enterprise Adviser visit: www.westofengland-ca.gov.uk/skills/ean/

Employability & Skills Portal

Across the West of England, we’re working with partners to ensure that all our residents have the opportunity to get the skills and training they need to succeed, and to secure the jobs that are being created here.  

The Employability & Skills Portal lists the plethora of support services and training available, helping individuals and businesses to find the right support - whether they’re joining the workforce for the first time, looking for a new job opportunity or planning how to progress at work.

The following guides bring together the local, regional and national skills, training and employment services available to residents and businesses in the West of England.

· Careers Information, Guidance, Coaching and Support (Aged 11-18), (Aged 18+), Careers Platforms and Skills Information Portals;

· Employability, Job Search, CV and Interview Preparation and Support with Gaining Employment;

· Traineeship, Kickstart, T-Level and Apprenticeships;

· Upskilling, Reskilling and Progression Within Work;

· Redundancy Support (Individuals);

· Business support (workforce development and skills); and

· Wellbeing Support SEND and Individualised Support.

To view the above lists visit : www.westofengland-ca.gov.uk/skills/employment-skills-portal

Green Business Grants

West of England Green Business Grants support SMEs to improve their energy efficiency of their buildings and business operations. This helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and can save businesses money on energy bills. We have already invested £200,000 in local businesses and will be investing a further £800,000. In our first round of grants, we helped local businesses install:

· LED lighting and better lighting controls,

· solar film to reduce overheating and air con use in summer,

· more efficient heating and better controls,

· insulation to walls and roofs, and

· air compressors and variable speed drives to improve the efficiency of manufacturing and processing equipment.

Green Business Grants can be used for capital works and purchases to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and business operations.

For further details and to check eligibility visit: www.westofengland-ca.gov.uk/business/green-business-grants

Thrive at Work West of England

Encouraging and supporting businesses to improve their employees' mental health and wellbeing.

The West of England Combined Authority has developed the Thrive at Work programme in collaboration with employers and strategic partners, giving small to medium enterprises (SMEs) the interactive tools and training resources needed to help embed good mental health practice in their business to support employees.

Tools and resources available include: e-learning modules for managers, Mental Health at Work Commitment webinars, ‘How to’ guides, toolkits, Peer support, webinars, resources and research library, Wellness Action Plans, Covid—19 Phycological First Aid Training and information on commitment statements and standards.

To find out more visit: www.wearegrowth.co.uk/covid-19/thrive-at-work-west-of-england/

Growth Hub

The West of England Growth Hub supports businesses throughout Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire to innovate, grow and thrive, by connecting businesses to support streams and encouraging collaboration.

The Growth Hub provides information on a wide variety of topics to support businesses to innovate and grow. This support includes:

Preparing to access investment and funding | Strengthening local networks | Leadership management |Adoption of technology | Productivity benchmarking | Reviewing property and assets | Branding and marketing support | Addressing skills gaps and accessing talent | Intellectual property (IP) | Exporting | Statutory regulations.

The ‘support’ tab on the Growth Hub homepage includes details of a large number of approved support providers, professionals and government programmes, all of which deliver services to help businesses to grow.

In addition, the Growth Hub team offers free telephone or face-to-face support which is bespoke and tailored to the needs and goals of a business.

To find out more visit: www.wearegrowth.co.uk/welcome-to-the-west-of-england-growth-hub

WECA Covid-19 Response and Recovery Plan

The West of England Combined Authority and Local Enterprise Partnership are committed to supporting the region’s residents and businesses through Covid-19.

We have introduced a range of support measures to help businesses adapt to the new economic landscape and improve resilience, as well as support for residents to develop new skills, training and employment opportunities.

We are actively helping businesses through:

· Our dedicated business support service, the West of England Growth Hub, provides the latest information and guidance on business support, as well as access to services and support programmes. Our team of Enterprise Executives offers up to 12 hours free one-to-one business support. Visit wearegrowth.co.uk for more.

· New business support initiatives such as our Business Innovation Fund, Trading Better Online and our Accountancy Support Programme, which help businesses build their financial resilience, innovate, adopt best practice, and boost their productivity.

· Adapting our business support and skills programmes to reflect the changing needs of businesses during this unprecedented time. This includes Creative Scale Up, Mentoring for Growth and Workforce for the Future.

· Ensuring public transport supports key workers and others who need to travel with a Coronavirus Travel Advice page.

For further details visit: www.westofengland-ca.gov.uk/covid-19-business-support

Ways2Work – Bristol City Council business and skills support

The Ways2Work network was established by Bristol City Council to build a network of employment and training organisations to work together to fill skills shortages in Bristol and get our residents into work.

The service works with partner organisations to ensure a joined up route to sustained careers for Bristol residents as well as supporting local employers to thrive.

The Ways2Work website contains information and links to skills training, employment support services, networks, newsletters, jobs board, sector information, Covid updates and specific initiatives, jobs fairs and events as well as daily and weekly updates. Local

To find out more visit: www.ways2work.org.uk

Achieve in B&NES – Bath & North East Somerset Council business and skills support

Achieve in B&NES provides a job and course search service for anybody wishing to enter the workplace or progress their career. There are several free and funded courses from local providers on offer.

Achieve is a built network of local businesses as well as support services, who can confidently offer real jobs, opportunities, routes into employment and support the needs of Bath and North East residents. Our focus is to build on an accessible network of support to help individuals reach their full potential and goals.

To find out more visit: www.achieveinbathnes.co.uk

InSouthGlos – South Gloucestershire Council business and skills support

South Gloucestershire Council has put in place a support programme for businesses and employers based within South Gloucestershire. Businesses can also access information on the council’s response to the coronavirus situation including updates, changes to services and details of the various business support packages being put in place both by Government and other partner agencies.

The council website includes details of wider business support services, finding grants, the Skills Toolkit for businesses, recruitment support, news on the latest Government support packages, Better Business for All (BBfA) economic Partnership, a local directory and links to partner agencies.

To find out more visit: www.southglos.gov.uk

innorthsomerset – North Somerset Council business and skills support

Whether a business already based in North Somerset or looking to relocate and invest, this site offers useful information on business support, the local economy and life in the area.

The innorthsomerset website signposts to a host of local, regional and national organisations and agencies which support businesses to start up, scale up, innovate and collaborate. Whatever the stage, size or focus of your business, there is free and subsidised advice, workshops, events, funding, networking, collaborative opportunities and premises. The site also contains details of the latest Covid business support as well as training and staff development opportunities.

To find out more visit: www.innorthsomerset.co.uk

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APPENDIX

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West of England Combined Authority

Digital Skills Investment Programme – medium-and-higher-level skills:

Grants Programme

APPENDIX A – Specification & Guidance Document