Developing Skills for Business programme tackles skills gaps in hand with sectors’ leaders

From Finance courses for manufacturing firms to creating apprenticeship opportunities in Cornwall’s growing tech sector, the Developing skills for Business (DSfB) programme is using investment of 4.5 million to address skills gaps and sector-led training needs across the county.

The far-reaching project, funded by the European Social Fund and managed by Cornwall College, is consulting with hundreds of businesses through working with eight partner organisations, including Cornwall Marine Network, SBD associates/Cornwall manufacturers Group, Software Cornwall, Digital Peninsula Network, Pirate FM, Cornwall Food Foundation, Cornwall Chamber of Commerce and Cornwall Council. The partnership has been developed to ensure local businesses from a wide range of sectors help shape the training and skills development required to ensure a thriving workforce.

DP Engineering engaged with the project by joining the Cornwall Manufacturers Group which resulted in a new set of finance training modules for staff in the manufacturing and engineering sector.

Richard Trevail, Managing Director of DP Engineering says: “Advanced engineering is at the core of our work and advancing our teams strength’s is paramount to their and our success. We took advantage of the finance for non-finance people course which immediately enabled key team members to appreciate the ‘business’ element of the company more. Managing budgets more effectively; better understanding the financial outcome of their decisions and developing a greater awareness of the costs, finance of the team and organisation. It’s opened their eyes to the bigger picture and has added so much value to them and us.”

Gweek Quay Boatyard is another benefiter; through support from Cornwall Marine Network they co-developed a bespoke Human Resource Manual to be used as a reference guide by the management team. It included areas such as: employing staff, managing employee performance, dealing with employee concerns/ issues and supporting staff in the workplace. The guide is now a reference to help management teams with employment legislation concerns that affect small businesses with additional members receiving coaching and support.

Software Cornwall, the Developing Skills for Business software lead partner organisation, successfully widened the promotion of the tech apprenticeship opportunities in the county through partnership working.  The advert they posted on Unlocking Potential Jobs platform attracted four times more applicants than in average.The volume of applications underlines the scale of the skills gap and training need, among both graduates and those who have not yet attained at HE level, and the important role the apprenticeship played in addressing this to support candidates to develop the higher level skills that are in high demand by employers on a local and international level.

Through Developing Skills for Business Software Cornwall members are finding ways to strengthen the local talent pipeline in to industry.

Caitlin Gould, Bluefruit’s Business Development Director, says “It’s very important to us that students in Cornwall are aware of all of the opportunities that exist within the region. With projects like Spaceport Cornwall, world class facilities like Goonhilly Earth Station, and the opportunities to work with a range of tech companies, we want to encourage local talent to stay and work at all the great companies in Cornwall. This year we’ve also taken on three talented apprentices who have been a wonderful addition to our teams.”

If you are, or work with, an SME who is interested in discussing individual or sector-wide skills needs and recruitment challenges, would like to be involved in the co-design and piloting of bespoke training courses or is considering recruiting an apprentice, the details of partner activity is:

Cornwall marine network (marine – marine tech, retail)
cornwall council (construction, health & social care)
sbd associates / cornwall manufacturers group (manufacturing)
software cornwall (digital – software)
digital peninsula network (digital –  wider sector)
pirate fm (digital – media)
cornwall food foundation (hospitality, agrifood)
cornwall chamber of commerce (smes – large company supply chain)