Businesses in the Shropshire area (subject to eligibility) can now access the Chambers fully funded ‘Business Growth Through Upskilling’ programme, funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and Shropshire Council.
Our Business Growth Through Upskilling Programme combines two elements
1. A Fully-funded 5 Day Active Leadership Programme with a commercial value of £4,500 alongside coaching and mentoring, with delegates entitled to three hours of one-to-one coaching.
2. A series of fully funded short courses (starting 2024) to provide rapid upskilling across Shropshire's Market Towns. Courses are subject to availability and be delivered across a range of topics and subjects.
The Active Leadership Programme is an innovative solution to the challenges faced by business leaders today. With the world evolving at a rapid pace, leaders must be equipped with the right set of skills and tools to stay ahead of the curve.
Effective leadership is critical in navigating changing environments and driving growth. Leaders who embrace change and possess the skills to leverage technology, promote creativity, and improve organisational performance are essential. The development of leadership skills is key to retaining talent and enhancing the competitiveness of businesses in Shropshire.
The course will focus on three main elements:
- Understanding ‘Me’ as a Leader - Understanding of themselves and others, and ability to challenge and influence.
- Managing for Results - Understanding how to keep performance on track.
- Leading for the Future - Communicate a clear vision and seek continuous improvement.
Participants will be asked to complete some post workshop activities to embed learning.
The development of leadership skills is key to retaining talent and enhancing the competitiveness of businesses in Shropshire.
Check your eligibility
To be eligible for 2 places on the programme, your business must meet the following criteria:
- Be registered with Companies House and/or HMRC as; a sole trader, micro, small or medium-sized enterprise, with a Shropshire Council Local Authority address.
- Charities are not eligible.
- Other ineligible sectors are: Primary food production including commercial fisheries and related Agri-environmental schemes (these are subject to other funding mechanisms), arms and ammunitions, gambling, financial services, mineral and ore extraction and rail and air services (this list is not exhaustive).
- Social enterprises, that engage in economic activity, are eligible.
- The business’ business rates liability must fall within the Shropshire Council Local Authority.
- Any business already part, or fully, funded by the government/Local Authority is not eligible. An example of this would be an NHS funded care home, or State school etc.
- Each participant on the active leadership programme must already be at a managerial level (team leaders can be considered).
- The business does not have to be a Chamber member to be eligible, and no Chamber member benefits will be used for this training. The UK government funding is administrated by Shropshire Council, through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). Shropshire Chamber of Commerce is delivering the ‘Active Leadership Programme’ funded by UKSPF, and therefor, have no control over eligibility criteria or funding allocation, and no membership of the Chamber is required.
- Places are limited to 2 per business.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025.
The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit UK Shared Prosperity Fund: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus
For more information, please contact the Project Coordinator, Amanda Gosling. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Click here to register your interest in our Active Leadership Programme
