BUSINESSES in the Skipton area are being offered fully funded training for their staff, thanks to support from the European Union.

The Skills Support for the Workforce is an initiative by the European Social Fund, and Tyro Training- the commercial training division of Craven College, has been engaged to supply training in the area. So far it has already delivered fully funded training to 35 businesses in the area.

The scheme is designed to help business growth by upskilling the workforce with fully funded training.

Thornton Hall Country Park in Thornton-in-Craven, is one of the businesses to have signed up.

It recently sent five members of staff on Tyro’s Delivering World Class Customer Service course, and have four more booked on a similar course in September.

Operations manager, Tony Keogh said: “We’ve grown quite a lot over the past few years, and with further expansion planned - including a new wedding venue currently under construction – we need to keep costs down to a minimum. However, we really didn’t want to cut out essential things like training, as we believe training and supporting staff is essential for any business, so this is a fantastic initiative that has really benefitted the business and our employees.”

Vicky Whitehead, Tyro Training's business development manager, said: “We are already seeing the benefits this project is having for businesses in the Skipton area. The feedback we have collected so far has been very positive, and is giving new skills to dozens of workers. It’s really straightforward for organisations to get involved. We arrange for one of our team to visit an organisation to conduct a training needs analysis, and then match or tailor suitable courses to benefit their specific needs.”

The project is available for small and medium sized enterprises (SME), and also includes charities and social enterprises.

Courses can include management, social media, assertiveness, food allergens and Excel courses.

To arrange a free, hassle-free training needs assessment and to confirm your organisation’s eligibility, telephone 01756 797266 or email info@tyrotraining.co.uk