A small business in Rugby is well-placed for growth after more than a third of its workforce underwent training supported by the Skills Escalator Fund programme.
Five of the 13 staff at Croxford Electrical Contractors, in Hillmorton Road, developed their skills and training which “is really going to help us individually but also help push the business forward,” says Operations Manager, Lorna Stanley.
Five employees, aged from 22 to 72, benefited from a diverse spread of Escalator-funded training which covered Electrical Inspection & Testing, an EV Charger Course, Sales for Non-Sales Professionals and ACCA F7 Financial Reporting. The Skills Escalator Fund, funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and delivered by Warwickshire County Council, supported the five employees with a grant allocation of £3,750.
Warwickshire County Council’s Apprenticeship Levy Transfer also supported the business to recruit an apprentice. The 48-month programme, during which the recruit will undertake an Electrical Installation Apprenticeship, has a total levy transfer value of £21,492.00.
All the support, accessed through Warwickshire Skills Hub and Coventry & Warwickshire Growth Hub, has been of immense value to the business, says Lorna.
“We only have 13 people working here so for six of us to benefit is brilliant,” she said. “Employees have benefited in such different ways. One member of staff in finance has been with us for quite a long time, and this has given her a great push to get back into learning. She has done one module thanks to the funding, and will now do two more so will get the qualification she started out towards 12 years ago. Another member of staff, who is 72, had some EV charger training. He really engaged with it which just shows you are never too old to learn new skills.
“The younger lads did the electrical training and the great benefit there is in retention. For a small business like us to be able to tell them they will get this training meant they didn’t have to look elsewhere, so we have been able to keep them.
“Finally, I knew we had a skills gap with sales and marketing, so I have done some training there, as I come from a HR background so this is the first time I have had broader responsibilities.
“Such a broad mix of training is really going to help us individually but also help push the business forward. We are very grateful and the process was very straightforward. I have done lots of these kinds of things in the past and they can be quite time-consuming, but this was very clear and easy with good advice available all the way through.”
The apprentice, too, is making a big contribution.
“It is a young man we knew about and who we felt was ready for full-time work but just needed some more direction,” said Lorna. “He is doing really well, really enjoying college, and we are very happy with him.”
Cllr Rob Howard, Portfolio Holder for Economy at Warwickshire County Council, said: “I'm delighted to see the Skills Escalator Fund and Levy Transfer programme supporting Croxford Electrical by enabling training and development opportunities.
"That this training will enable the business to retain talent so they can grow together, is the perfect example of the value of the Warwickshire Skills Hub's varied support offering."
To find out more, visit, https://skillshub.warwickshire.gov.uk/.