Create the Future: Focus on Workplace Learning 

As we prepare for the upcoming Learning at Work Week 2023 with a series of fantastic webinars on Fully Funded Training, Bitesize 'E' Learning and Apprenticeships to upskill current workforce, find out about how encouraging and supporting workforce training can lead to positive results for your business. 

What is Learning at Work Week?

Learning at Work Week is an annual event to promote lifelong learning at work. The focus is on building learning cultures, inspiring learning, and actively engaging with your career goals and aspirations.  

Learning at Work Week 2023 will be celebrated on 15th - 21st May, with the theme 'Create the Future'. With workplace learning contributing towards increased employee engagement, loyalty, cohesion and camaraderie, allowing employees to build confidence trust and responsibility, succession planning and futureproofing the business, we're actively encouraging Greater Manchester SMEs to discover our Skills for Growth – SME Support programme.

How can Skills for Growth - SME Support help? 

Delivered by GC Business Growth Hub, commissioned by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and funded by the European Social Fund, our programme plays a crucial role, in helping thousands of SMEs in Greater Manchester to find suitable training and fill occupational skills gaps. 

Now celebrating the achievement of 15,000 participants from across Greater Manchester, our programme offers Greater Manchester SMEs access to fully funded training, dedicated Skills Coach support and the bitesize ‘E’ learning portal which encourages participants to undertake learning on their terms. The bitesize 'E' learning platform offers a series of compliance and induction courses including Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, GDPR and Health and Safety, which Greater Manchester SMEs are utilising. National Apprenticeship Week and National Careers Week, has also contributed towards an uptick in usage as employees search over 2000 courses to enrich, learn and develop their careers. 

Here’s our Top 5 courses from this quarter (Jan – Mar 2023)  

Benefits of Workforce Training 

Nothing says it better than positive client feedback, and that's exactly what our Skills for Growth - SME Support programme is achieving. With success stories from across Greater Manchester's local authorities, our programme is making a huge difference for both the SMEs and their workforce. 

Greater Manchester SME Feedback 

"These courses don’t just instil the knowledge gained from the courses themselves but also help build confidence, trust and responsibility with both parties knowing exactly what each person is gaining from their experience. I have to say as one final note the help and support we have had throughout has been exceptional and really enhanced the whole experience with a special mention to Jo Whitehead and Jonathan Crabtree. Thanks again and look forward to carrying on in the new year” (Project Manager, Leisure Guard Security) 

“Being able to draw on the Skills for Growth team was invaluable.  Joanne’s expertise conducting the one-to-one meetings with our employees helped us glean an insight into their individual aspirations, and with Joanne’s help, were able to guide employees to relevant training opportunities.” (Quality and Health and Safety Manager, Macpac Limited) 

“I found the course interesting and informative. It imparted a great deal of valuable knowledge with regard to improving the product quality and efficiencies of a company. I would thoroughly recommend the course and feel that all job functions would benefit from its content.” Lee, Course attended: Lean Manufacturing