Business First offers “Value Added Training”
Business First, the commercial training provider at Swindon College, is keen to raise awareness amongst employers that fully funded or heavily subsidised nationally accredited professional qualifications are available in 2011.

These qualifications include business improvement techniques, management, team leading, warehousing and logistics and many more. A wide variety of Apprenticeships, which can all be delivered in the workplace, are also available, so there is no need to cut training budgets due to the rise in VAT. These heavily subsidised courses will help support employers with reduced training budgets and will meet the demand for high quality training across all sectors.

According to a study by the Federation of Small Businesses, more than 70% of small companies surveyed expect the 2.5% VAT rise to have a negative impact on their business. Of the 1600 respondents a further 52% expect to increase prices, 45% expect a fall in turnover and 36% expect a loss of customers as a result.

Andrea Fitzgerald, Business Development Manager for Business First said:

“We have spoken to a number of small firms this year and many of them have said that they are being hit hard by the rise in VAT and that they will have to cut departmental budgets in order to survive.  Some employers have said that this is likely to result in the reduction of training.

However, I believe that this is the time to continue to up-skill or re-train staff to ensure that productivity is increase so that businesses are made more efficient, which will lead to greater profitability.”

To find out more about how your business can benefit from investing in training, contact the Business First Team on 01793 498404, or via our online contact form.

Business First will be exhibiting at The Business Show at STEAM on Thursday 10th February 2011. Staff will be on hand to discuss employers individual training needs and will offer training solutions. For more information, click here.