Skills Escalator Fund - Upskill Your Business

If you are a small/medium sized business, self-employed or a voluntary or charitable enterprise, you can apply for up to £750 training support per person for up to 5 employees.

Stratford-on-Avon District Council is working in partnership with Warwickshire Skills Hub to launch The Skills Escalator Fund. This project is funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) in partnership with Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, Rugby Borough Council, Warwick District Council and Stratford District Council.

The Skills Escalator Fund is designed to support businesses to upskill their employees to allow progression within their business.

The program is available to businesses base in Nuneaton and Bedworth, Rugby, Warwick and Stratford post code areas (with up to 249 employees) who are seeking to invest in their employee's progression by supporting them to undertake further training which contributes to the needs of the business.

The fund offers up to £750 grant funding per employee towards the training of up to 5 employees.

Training can be qualifications, licences, vocational skills training, or certificated learning which is delivered by a college or independent training provider.

The training, which will be funded by the Skills Escalator Fund, is led by you and the needs of your business. Support in developing a tailored training plan to reflect your business and employee's aspirations, is available through the Warwickshire Skills Hubs team of Business skills advisors.

Essentially the funding criteria is:

• Must be a Warwick or Stratford district-based micro/small/medium sized business
• The budget is £750 per person
• The business can apply for up to 5 staff to attend training
• Courses need to be completed by 31/3/2025
• Funding is paid on completion of the course

Please note that:

• VAT can-not be paid by the fund due to WCC not being the commissioner or recipient of the training.
• In exceptional circumstances and where a business need is demonstrated via WCC Business Adviser's completing a training assessment plan - the amount per person could be increased up to £1000

To apply for the funding, please fill out the forms below and email them to skillshub@warwickshire.gov.uk :

1. Skills Escalator Fund Application Form
2. Skills Escalator Fund Registration Form

To explore The Skills Escalator Fund further please contact skillshub@warwickshire.gov.uk

This project is funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.