Opportunities at the University of Derby for SMEs!

A fresh new wave of training available through the University of Derby starts this week, supporting small-to-medium-sized enterprise (SME) based in Derbyshire or Nottinghamshire.

The world of business is always changing, evolving, and this programme is set up to help small businesses and charities to keep up with new innovations, technology, and the working environment.

There is now an increased need for business skills within the charity sector to discover new ways to market and reach the right audience and motivate teams to attain their full potential. All the funded courses at the University of Derby are available to paid employees of charities.

“These opportunities from the University of Derby are an excellent way to up-skill and learn new things” Jenny Raschbauer, Project Director at Community Chesterfield

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Develop and expand your knowledge by accessing funded business support programmes. The Reskill and Recover, Smart and Inclusive Leadership (SAIL) and the Branch Out in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) projects are part-funded by the European Social Fund. There is no cost to participants enrolling on these courses.

The Reskill and Recover course is aimed at participants who want to learn about growth and productivity especially following the challenges of the past few years.  The course’s units will cover:

1.       The Single Sheet Business Plan

2.       Customer Relationships

3.       Digital Marketing

4.       Project Management

5.       Project Management

6.       Workplace Wellness

7.       Responsible Finance

8.       Writing for Business

9.       Sustainability

Whilst all the courses can be taken as stand-alone options, if participants complete the following courses: The Single Sheet Business Plan, Customer Relationship or Digital Marketing, Project Marketing and Responsible Finance, you will be able to study a final short course with an assessment. This will culminate in an actionable single-sheet business plan for your business. When you complete the accredited course, you will receive a Level 4 Certificate in Business and Self-Development.

For participants who find data daunting, there are also two STEM courses which are offered empowering participants to take control of their business data and put it to great use:

·         Demystifying Business Data

·         Future Proofing with Business Insight

The SAIL course is designed to help participants develop leadership skills to learn how to drive productivity and growth. SAIL is for employees in supervisory/management positions, as well as recent graduates and aspiring future leaders. Whether you are new to management, or an experienced manager looking to update our skill set, you are welcome to join the initiative which will cover a range of different approaches including:

·         Leadership and culture

·         Managing in difficult circumstances

·         Building key relationships (internal and external)

·         Staff engagement and developing high-performing teams

·         Effective communication skills and creative problem-solving during difficult times

The Branch Out in STEM course is aimed at participants who want to improve their data skills and wider STEM knowledge. The world of business is rapidly evolving and ensuring staff have the most up-to-date skills is essential in keeping up with these changes. Advancements in technology and the working environment have meant digital, analytical, and problem-solving skills have become increasingly important.

The University of Derby is offering the following fully funded short courses to help you refresh and update these skills:

·         Demystifying business data for beginners

·         How business intelligence and data analytics can improve your business profitability

·         Creating a sustainable future for your organisation

“I really enjoyed the session I attended as it helped me gain a completely new perspective and I learned lots all of which I will use in my work” Jenny Raschbauer

If you are a business and want to know more about how we can work together, from training and networking, with free access for staff to many of our activities as well as working with the right charity and community groups for you to help to fulfil your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy we are accepting applications for Derbyshire Pioneers now.

If you're interested and would like more information about these opportunities, or to find out about other ways you can work with the University of Derby, contact lauren@dva.org.uk.