Information for Employers
And that’s where we come in.
Our help starts with a free diagnostic service, and free training advice from a qualified and quality-audited advisor. We’ve had fantastic feedback from companies about the way our advisors work, so you can use them with confidence.
The advisors are all independent specialists, contracted with the Welsh Assembly Government. They are all Investors in People experts and work across most sectors, providing one-to-one input to your unique situation.
You’ll get help to develop your managers and staff in a planned way, to improve results and reduce problems. That extends to help with making training arrangements, and sourcing funding if possibilities exist.
Investors in People
This National Standard is about improving business results by making the most of your people. Our advisors help companies to achieve this, and the advice is free. There is a charge for the assessment, which provides an expert outside view on how you are working and how to improve.
Investors in People Clubs
Investors in People Clubs meet a couple of times a year in different parts of Wales. These meetings usually have a lively guest speaker taking on topics about people management.
Leadership and Management Workshops
A series of workshops and short courses for people from supervisory to senior manager level. Provided all across Wales by contracted providers, they carry a subsidy of 70%, which makes them very good value.
Work-based Learning
This is vocational training, including traineeships, apprenticeships and the modern skills diplomas. They combine work and provider-based training and go from a basic skills level to National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) 4. The training is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and is suitable for any organisation happy to have someone training whilst they work. At a time when we need to offer the young people of Wales opportunities to develop, apprenticeships are very important. For options call learndirect on 0800 100900 or ask your Advisor.
Basic Skills
Wales needs to improve basic skills in the workplace. They’re defined as ‘the ability to read, write and speak in English or Welsh, and use mathematics at a level necessary to function and progress at work and in society in general’. Your advisor will be able to point towards specialist support.
ReAct – Redundancy Action Fund
Generous grant and training money to help individuals who’ve become redundant and employers who subsequently take them on. Phone the all-Wales team based in Swansea on 01792 765826.
ProAct – Training to upskill during short-time working
A financial support package designed to help viable businesses cope with the downturn. It helps fund training during quiet time to up-skill staff in readiness for the upturn.
Flexible support for business seminars
These are entertaining, high profile seminars on key business topics, three times a year starting in September, with a token charge. See dates here.
There are occasionally other opportunities offered in different parts of Wales, often with European funding. Your advisor will be aware of these.
Please note that our help is mainly for the private sector, although some services are also available to the public sector. It is for firms with a management structure - even if that’s only an owner manager with a few staff.
Time to train
Employers are being given an early heads-up on the rights of employees to request time for training.
Guidance is available on the Flexible Support for Business website. This informs employers of their obligations.
Guidance is also available on the DirectGov website to inform employees about how they make a request under this new right.
The right to request time to train was included in the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act, which received Royal Assent in November 2009.
The introduction of the right for employees in organisations with 250 or more employees came in April 2010 and will be extended to all employees from April 2011.
To talk about how we can help you, call 0845 60 661 60 or email info@skillspeoplesuccess.com.