Energy & Utility Skills Network fuelling growth for small businesses
£1.26m to support Employer Networks and five Apprenticeship bursaries for small businesses
Figures from the Federation of Small Businesses has shown that over 42,000 people working for small businesses in the waste management and recycling industry are still waiting to receive formal training. But we mustn’t judge our 6,000 private-sector waste management and recycling businesses; they’re out there every day doing what they do best. Time, money and a lack of funding available from the government have all contributed to this skills gap. Energy & Utility Skills (EU Skills) has stepped in to help by providing a £1.26m network opportunity for smaller business.
EU Skills is licensed by government to ensure that individuals and businesses in the gas and waste management industries have the skills they need now and in the future. With this in mind, EU Skills has secured funding from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) through the Growth and Innovation Fund totalling £1.26m.
This new injection of funding will be used to support the setting up of the EU Skills Network, a series of employer-led network groups facilitated by EU Skills and supported by small businesses in the gas and waste management industries.
But that’s not all EU Skills is doing to help businesses. Angela Edwards, Development Manager for Talent Bank at EU Skills, explains: “In addition to the £1.26m funding, the Environmental Services Association (ESA) Educational Trust in partnership with Talent Bank, a specialist recruitment and training service, has agreed to fund a minimum of five bursaries for work-based Apprenticeships. This is a really exciting opportunity for all small to medium sized businesses operating in the waste management industry.”
Angela continues: “The bursary programme in association with Talent Bank is available to smaller businesses in the waste industry who are looking to take on an apprentice. All costs relating to recruitment and management will be fully funded by the ESA. Talent Bank will handle the recruitment process on behalf of the five successful businesses – ensuring we attract the brightest individuals for your business - and will monitor and support the apprentice throughout their training, making sure that only the highest level of skills are achieved.
“Apprenticeships are a proven way to train a workforce. They can make organisations of all sizes more effective, productive and competitive by addressing skills gaps directly – which is even more important in uncertain economic times.”
The EU Skills Network will offer smaller businesses in the waste management industries a lifeline, helping to identify training and skills gaps in their workforce and how best to overcome them. The Network will encourage smaller businesses to voice their concerns and provide a spring-board to launch their ideas from. The EU Skills Network website is the starting point to register interest, recommend a business group to join and pose a suggestion to the employer-led network. Signing up to the web-based network provides access to:
- Network training and events
- Big industry tips, advice and support
- Access to quality training
- Opportunities to get involved with tender responses
- Access to funding for Apprenticeship programmes.
Angela added: “So if you are an employer who has identified a recruitment need and you’re looking to grow your business by recruiting an apprentice, we need to hear from you.”
For more information about the EU Skills Network visit: http://networks.euskills.co.uk/skillsandtraining
For more information about Talent Bank and the ESA bursary scheme visit: www.euskills.co.uk/about-us/talent-bank/esa-bursaries.
-ENDS-
NOTES TO EDITOR:
Issued by: Caroline Moverley-Judd, Product Marketing Manager at EU Skills
T: 07711 007 245
E: communications@euskills.co.uk
Date of release: 05.06.2013
About Energy & Utility Skills:
Our Vision: Ensuring our industries have the skills they need now and in the future.
Energy & Utility Skills (EU Skills) is the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for the gas, power, waste management and water industries, licensed by Government and working under the guidance of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES). Employer-led, our purpose is to ensure that our industries have the skills they need now and in the future.
The energy and utilities sector is fundamental to the success of the UK economy and is crucial to the way modern society functions. It is critical to facilitate an adequate supply of competent people to develop, maintain and enhance the sector.
A skilled workforce is vital for meeting the challenges of an increasingly competitive global economy and particularly during this tough economic climate, where skills are the key lever for successful competition.
EU Skills commitment is to raise employer engagement, demand and investment in skills, to ensure that we have authoritative labour market information for all of our industries and to develop National Occupational Standards (NOS) to ensure that qualifications meet employer needs.
For further information about EU Skills please visit: www.euskills.co.uk
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