What is Skills Bank?

Skills Bank aims to provide you with a single access point for information, support, guidance and funding for skills. Our dedicated and specialist team of Skills Advisors can connect businesses to high-quality training providers to meet those needs. Training accessed through Skills Bank could be in the form of an existing qualification or industry recognised training programme. Alternatively, training can be designed to meet your specific requirements.

Skills Bank commenced in April 2019 and the project is due to close on the 31st March 2021. All training supported by Skills Bank must have started by the 31st March 2021. Please note that there is no official end date for the completion of training at this point, however it anticipated that the vast majority of training will have concluded by May 2021.

To combat the impact of the pandemic we have made it easier for businesses to access Skills Bank. There are now two new strands available for businesses who are developing and adapting the way they work as well as businesses who are directly responding to the government’s Coronovirus strategy

For more information on other support offered to businesses by the Growth Hub, including the support available relating to Coronavirus, visit the Sheffield City Region Growth Hub website.

The Sheffield City Region Skills Bank project is delivered by Calderdale College on behalf of The Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (SCR LEP

Skills Bank invests in skills provision for businesses operating in the Sheffield City Region. Skills Bank places the purchasing power for skills in your hands.

Employers can choose from our comprehensive list of Training Providers available or source their own.

Employers can view the Skills Bank Training Directory for a list of available training. There is also a useful ‘key word’ search facility and all training is listed as ONSITE or ONLINE. There is also a section where each Training Provider tells you more about the type of training they offer so, you can make contact to discuss your specific training needs with them. We can also help you to devise training to meet your business needs.

In light of the Coronavirus pandemic, we have opened two new strands of our programme, one for businesses working in new ways, and a rapid response programme for those responding directly to the government’s Coronavirus strategy.

Skills Bank funding contributes to the overall cost of training and the amount each employer receives will depend on the business case for growth outlined in your application and contribution to the Sheffield City Region economy.

If you aren’t sure whether training can help your business to grow or would like advice on the type of training you need, you can request a call from the Growth Hub Gateway here. .

The Sheffield City Region Skills Bank project is delivered by Calderdale College on behalf of The Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (SCR LEP)

The intervention rate will be calculated during the appraisal process and will be directly linked to the employer’s growth/development, for this reason it is important that the growth/development  case is clear and fully outlines  how the learning is linked to  growth or in lessening the impact of the Coronavirus.

Maximum intervention rates are:

• 50% for Large Companies
• 70% for Micro, Small and Medium Companies (0 – 249 employees)

maximum intervention rates will be awarded where:

• The growth case is clearly demonstrated, well documented and evidenced within the application
• It is clear that the learning is directly linked to the anticipated growth The training is specialist, management and/or higher level
• The employer can evidence how they support supply chain development
• The employer can evidence how they are helping to raise aspirations
• The Sheffield City Region Skills Bank project is delivered by Calderdale College on behalf of The Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (SCR LEP)

As part of our response to the Coronavirus pandemic our two new strands of activity may attract a higher intervention rate.  We recognise that many businesses are currently closed or running significantly reduced operations which is affecting cash flow and availability of funds to invest in training. Indictive intervention rates will be highlighted for our new suite of on-line Coronavirus responsive training programmes and employers supported under the rapid response strand will be awarded an uplift in support to reflect the critical and urgent nature of the work they are doing.