Small businesses are being offered free staff training, to help them compete and grow.
The offer could be worth thousands of pounds to each company.
It’s available to workers over 19, including volunteers, and can include training in the workplace or outside.
A business needs analysis is also available to find out what training a firm’s staff would benefit from.
Training is being offered in areas including IT, customer service or business administration. Management or leadership training could also be provided.
Kate Prowse is from Portsmouth City Council’s Pride in Pompey team, which is offering the training. She said: “Increasing employees’ skills and competence can really benefit a company.
“Staff become more effective and productive. They grow in confidence and motivation, and become more able to transfer between job roles.
“The result is improved staff retention and customer satisfaction, and a boost to the business’s reputation.”
Michelle Blakey, office manager at the Eastney Cruising Association, took advantage of the free training offer to brush up her Microsoft Office skills.
She said: “I did some training in Powerpoint presentations and Excel, and I definitely found it very helpful. Plus, it was all free.”
The council is running the training scheme in partnership with Chichester College, using funding secured from the European Social Fund.
To find out more businesses can email [email protected]
