Training Grant 2015/16

Skills Development Scotland have announced the extension of the Flexible Training Opportunities Grant Scheme for the year to 31 March 2016.

The grant is aimed at small businesses based in Scotland, who wish to enhance employees’ skills and bring real benefits such as improved productivity and a stronger, more confident workforce.

The criteria for qualifying for the funding are the business must be based in Scotland, the training must be aimed at improving employee skills, contribute to business productivity or result in improved efficiencies.

Companies with fewer than 100 employees may be eligible to receive training aimed at improving employee skills. Although the grant is aimed at helping with the cost of training, it must not be legislative or statutory i.e. required by law and non-negotiable.

The grant will fund 50% of the training cost with a funding limit of £1000 per instance of training. This means that if one instance of training costs £2,200 then a grant will be payable of £1,000, however, should the training cost £1,500 then the funding will be £750.

The funding is, however, limited to £3,000 to each business and the minimum cost of training to be considered for funding is £200.

We have successfully provided training within this scheme to:

• Implement new accounting packages.
• Computerise client’s payroll function.
• Give training on better use of these systems.
• Improve the standard of records a client produces at the year end (manual and computerised).
• Improve a client’s cash management.
• Implement a management accounts production process.
• General payroll training.

If would like further information in relation to a training grant scheme, how it operates, whether your business would be applicable then please do not hesitate to contact Lynne Vaughan on 01382 312140 or Scott Kennedy on 01307 474274.