🚀 go-pugleaf

Andrew Nichols <andy@solicit.demon.co.uk> wrote:

>I am involved with a recently established business in the north of
>England. We need to improve the skills and qualifications of our small
>workforce (which is mainly manual) but have a limited budget.

>Can anyone point me towards a reputable database or Website of what
>training grants are available? I have contacted our local TEC, who are
>some help, but would like information from further afield. I remember
>hearing that one of the northern Universities - UMIST? - had
>comprehensive data, but have not been able to discover anything
>definite.


Hi Andrew,

You may want to consider individual grants which are available, such
as Career Development Loans, which have a favourable rate for
repayment but are not necessarily the best option for everyone and Tax
Relief on NVQs and related vocational training and which are
administered by the training provider ie don't have to be reclaimed by
individuals.

If you are intending to fully support the training costs of staff then
there would need to be some extra payments towards individuals to meet
the fees, travelling expenses, books and equipment etc but I can't
help, currently, on whether this is possible without incurring some
other expenditure (tax etc) but I'm sure someone else in the newsgroup
could help here.

The TECs _should_ have all the information but some TECs have a range
of funds, including development or short term funds allocated to
different departments which don't always talk to each other.
Individuals may be able to get funds apart from the ones already
mentioned if they live or work in certain areas of the TEC, if they
are in certain target groups eg no or few qualifications, women, have
disabilities etc. So as well as the TEC, I would suggest contacting
your local FE and HE institution whose admissions and guidance staff
may know of local funding schemes. These schemes tend to change
regularly and vary across the country.

There may also be training funds through local economic development
schemes, eg Single Regeneration Budget and others, which are usually
inter-agency including the TEC, but you could check with the "economic
development" section of the local authority.

If you are in the North West, you can e-mail me for more info.

Good luck,

Flick
flickh@flash.u-net.com