Skip to the content

Latest news

man in a warehouse with children's toys

Top tips for creating a parent and carer friendly workplace

Get our top tips for creating a parent and carer friendly workplace here! A must-read for all SME business owners and leaders looking to increase employee wellbeing at work.

GM-Skills-Map

GM Skills Map launches to help futureproof Manchester workforce

Learn about GM Skills Map, a new initiative from the Skills for Growth - SME Support programme, aiming to help bridge the gap between Greater Manchester learners and training providers and encourage futureproof workforce development in our city.

Africa Al's African sauces market stall

Grant Funding and Support for SMEs in the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Sectors

This article explores grants and funding options available to SMEs in retail, leisure and hospitality and how Skills for Growth – SME Support can help you gain access to the support you need.

Apprenticeships work

Apprenticeships helping to plug Greater Manchester skills gaps

Apprenticeships are helping plug Greater Manchester skills gaps by providing a practical solution for employers and employees alike. Speak to our Apprenticeship Specialist Suzanne McNicholas for more information.

Adult male and female learning by the computer in a classroom

The benefits of training and development during furlough

Reduced staff means reduced productivity, which may result in a lack of skills in critical business areas with inadequate funds to support recruitment to fill the gaps. This is where skills training is critical to the current strategy of SMEs, because it allows employers to redeploy employees at risk of redundancy, with mutual benefit to both the business and the individual.

Skills for Growth SME Support logo

Furlough FAQs

In response to the new and updates guidelines for the current furlough scheme, we have put together a list of frequently asked questions to help employers and employees understand their rights to claim and to unpick some of the grey areas that may be cause for confusion.