Tomorrow's Leaders Urged to Apply for Management Training Funding Today

Glass businesses in the East Midlands are being urged to apply for management and leadership training for their staff to help nurture leaders of the future.

Proskills, the Sector Skills Council for the Process and Manufacturing Sector, is encouraging any company with two to 4,999 employees to apply for the funding, which provides up to 50% of the cost of the training. The scheme is available for team leaders, junior, middle and senior managers across the glass industry.

Carl Leonard, East Midlands Regional Manager at Proskills, the Sector Skills Council for Process and Manufacturing, said: 'The success of a business stands and falls with its management. The East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA), together with the regional Learning Skills Council (SSC) office, is offering funding to companies in the East Midlands region to turn today's employees into the real leaders of tomorrow.

'More and more companies are realising the growing need to employ people with leadership and managerial skills and this is a chance to achieve that with up to 50% of the costs being paid for by somebody else (EMDA and the LSC), and 50% match-funding from the employer.

'Any learning must be linked to business objectives. Although the training does not have to be linked to a formal qualification, any training undertaken must be at NVQ level 3, 4 or above.'

The support funding ranges from £250 to £1,000 per employee, with the scope for up to four employees per organisation at each level. Employees must start their training before 31st March 2008.

This leadership and management programme complements the Train to Gain service, also funded by the Learning and Skills Council. Train to Gain helps employers ensure their people have the right skills to do the best job by identifying skills needs, pinpointing the right training and funding, and finding any funding to support the training.

Carl said: 'If we become aware of an employer with these management and leadership training needs, we are happy to put them in touch with the right people. To take advantage of this money, a Train to Gain Skills Broker or a Business Link Business Support Adviser will assess an organisation's training needs. A third-party training provider will then be contacted, but the choice of provider rests entirely with the employer.'

Companies wanting to take part should call Carl on 07795 011964 or carl.leonard@proskills.co.uk