Frequently Asked Questions

The SkillWorks understands that companies know their training needs and aims to develop the skills of the regional workforce by providing training on demand.

Want to know more? Here are just a few of the questions you might be asking.

Who provides the training?

That depends on what training your business needs. A number of training partners have been appointed by the LSC, who are responsible for meeting your requirements. They can either provide the training themselves or they will, at their discretion, sub-contract specialist trainers who meet their quality standards and provide value-for money.

Is all our training covered?

Broadly, yes. The main exception is that training must have added value where a qualification is a statutory requirement. Your training partner will clarify this with you.

Is delivery flexible?

SkillWorks is not about courses that are run at pre-determined locations and times. SkillWorks training partners will work with you to come up with a training programme that reasonably fits in with the realities of business life but can be achieved within a sensible budget. To date, more than 19,000 individual training projects have been completed.

What if I need several different people trained?

It makes no difference if you need one employee or your entire workforce trained. And, as far as possible a single training partner will be responsible for meeting all your needs.

Are qualifications involved?

While training doesn't necessarily lead to a qualification, we do believe that working towards achieving national or industry standards established in formal qualifications can often play a useful part in improving workforce skills. Your training partner will be able to advise you on a range of options and additional support available from the Learning and Skills Council. Over 9000 individual qualifications have been achieved since the SkillWorks was launched.

Applicants do not need to have any current qualifications to access the programme.

What do I have to pay?

All businesses are eligible for a 60% grant. You have to pay your share as a cash contribution and not through, for example, making facilities available or paying salaries.

Are there limits to the amounts?

Yes, any individual SME cannot receive more than £60,000 from the SkillWorks programme.. We do reserve the right to review any proposed training programme for "value for money" to ensure that other businesses are not deprived.

If you have already received SkillWorks funding this amount is taken into account in determining the balance you may qualify for.

Is there a lot of bureaucracy involved?

We try do try to keep the paperwork to a minimum. It is a condition of the Learning and Skills Council and the European Social Fund that SMEs provide certain basic information about their business and the learners on the training programmes. Your SkillWorks training partner will help with the information required.

Timescales?

The SkillWorks funding is available now and is scheduled to end in July 2008.

If you are having difficulties with SkillWorks eligibility criteria do not hesitate to Contact Us to discuss your case. If you fulfil the eligibility criteria you can register immediately through this website.