An additional £1m in funding has been secured to expand a project aimed at helping businesses and employees access skills and training.
The D2N2 Skills Access Hub was set up in April 2020 to provide tailored solutions and flexible delivery to meet the skills and apprenticeship priorities of employers and employees across Derby Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
The Hub was created with an award of £4.8m from the European Social Fund has been supporting 888 small and medium-sized businesses to access skills provision and 2,220 individuals to improve their own skills attainment.
By agreeing the extra £926,633 of funding, Nottingham City Council can increase the number of businesses supported to 1,060 and the number of individuals supported to 2,650. Half the funding will come from the European Social Fund and half will come from Skills Access Hub delivery partners including the University of Nottingham, West Nottinghamshire College, Futures, Direct Help and Advice, and Nottingham College.
Around half the project participants are expected to be based in Nottingham with the rest in Nottinghamshire, Derby and Derbyshire.
Will Morlidge, Interim Chief Executive at D2N2 LEP said: “It’s great to see this additional funding for the Skills Access Hub programme, which will allow even more businesses and individuals in the D2N2 area to achieve the skills needed for our region’s economic growth.”
Nottingham City Council Portfolio Holder for Skills, Growth and Economic Development, Councillor Rebecca Langton, said: “The D2N2 Skills Access Hub has been incredibly successful at matching local employers and people with skills providers to reduce the skills gap across Nottingham and help to create a more productive and profitable SME sector.
“We were pleased to accept this funding so the project can be widened to include even more businesses and workers so that they can thrive and achieve their potential.”
