Employers to receive extra support for training programme
- By Elaine Bird
- 27 August 2021
- West Norfolk
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The aim is that the training helps boost productivity, diversification or growth.
Norfolk’s economic recovery from the pandemic has received an extra boost with the extension of Norfolk County Council’s Employer Training Incentive Programme (ETIP). ETIP now allows all types of businesses that are self-employed, small, medium or micro businesses to apply for funding. The size of the up-front grant has changed too, increasing from 50% to 75% to help employers retain and upskill their staff.
The scheme helps businesses to fund a huge range of training opportunities from essential training for new recruits to courses to learn new skills in new areas. The aim is that the training helps boost productivity, diversification or growth.
Training can cover courses on almost any topic a business might need, from food hygiene, first aid and fork-lift driving, to social media and selling goods online. Employers can choose courses that are accredited and certificated by an official body, or non-accredited training courses.
Training can be done in person, in the classroom, on the job or online with employers having the freedom to choose the training providers they want to work with as long as they are based in the UK. Additionally, ETIP Advisors are on hand to provide information on a wide range of locally available courses as well as how ETIP can work for individual business.
Businesses have to fund 25% of the course cost themselves, while ETIP will pay the remaining 75% of the course cost up front, so that training providers can be paid in full.
Cllr Graham Plant, Norfolk County Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economic Growth said: “During this recovery period, we want to ensure that businesses in Norfolk are not left behind, especially smaller businesses who would find extra investment in training their staff a barrier at such a challenging time. This grant will help businesses to retain staff and develop their skills for a robust future.”
Shaun van Looy
Shaun van Looy, Director of Operations at Barnham Broom, said: “When Karen [ETIP Advisor] contacted me about the Employer Training Incentive Programme grant funding it was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Barnham Broom are always keen to ensure our team are given every opportunity to enhance their skills to ensure excellent customer service is offered every time to every guest and this is a perfect opportunity to make sure this happens.”
For more information go to the Norfolk County Council website https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/etip or email: etip@norfolk.gov.uk