SMEs in SW urged to take up learning opportunities

More than 1500 SMEs in the south west have been contacted as part of bid to boost business through positive leadership in a project was set up last year.

New figures released by the south west's Leadership and Management Project reveal more than 1500 SMEs have so far been contacted as part of the bid to boost business through positive leadership.

The project was set up in the latter part of last year and has already reached out to 1692 organisations, offering them the chance to get expert analysis and advice from skilled advisors to help them develop their strengths and profitability.

Key sectors such as engineering are being targeted by the project.

Just last month more than 400 new SMEs were contacted, with a quarter (117) signing up to take advantage of the management development opportunities on offer, which are available until April 2007 with funding from the Learning and Skills Council and the South West Regional Development Agency.

To date, 409 companies are receiving support and funding of up to £800 to drive forwards the development of their managers and leaders.

The project has so far enabled 302 individuals to take up learning opportunities which will boost the prospects of their organisations as a whole.

On top of this, 91 organisations are now pursuing the Investors in People Leadership and Management model, and 15 are working towards specialised Beacon status.

The ever-increasing take-up rate is a sign that businesses in the area are stepping up to meet the challenges facing them now and in the future, according to project leader Terry Youll.

He said: "The encouraging take-up rate of this project shows that organisations in the region are taking the issue very seriously, wanting to develop their leadership and management capability to take the business forwards".

"It is vital that they look to the future, ensuring that through positive leadership they meet the challenges constantly faced in the business world".

The project is being delivered by six Business Links across the region; Devon and Cornwall, Gloucestershire, West of England based in Bristol ,Wessex, Wiltshire and Somerset.

Each area is working to support SMEs with diagnoses and expert advice aimed at identifying the links between leadership and management activity, skills development and an increase in productivity.

Organisations with between 10 and 249 employees are eligible for the scheme.

Youll said: "The ultimate object is to create a measurable step change in the aspirations of organisations, and to give a real boost to the region through developing leaders and managers, providing them with the tools to take business firmly forwards".

He challenged organisations not yet on board to take a good look at their future prospects.

"I'd like people to think candidly about how they would describe the leadership and management capability of their firms".

"If it is below what they expect or desire in the longer term, they can use this resource to help them bridge that gap, through anything from training for team managers, coaching for one of the directors or pursuing the Investors in People Leadership and Management model".

"Organisations should also consider whether they are managing to attract people with the right leadership potential to the organisation, people who will stay and make a unique leadership contribution in the organisation".

"That's a challenge across the south west".

"The other challenge is for organisations to plan well enough ahead, particularly looking at what the business environment holds, what's around the corner, what's coming up".

"People are running fast to cope with what's happening today but they also need to be sitting down to work through what tomorrow holds".

"An organisation's leadership capability is the bedrock on which these activities need to be built".

Each of the Business Links involved in the project will continue to contact SMEs over the next few months, many of them highlighting specific areas of need such as priority sectors including engineering, construction, retail and healthcare.

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