We work with many employers offering a range of services and advice, including payroll services and information on auto-enrolment. We understand the financial commitments and challenges associated with employing staff, even just taking on one person can make a big difference to your business.

We are often asked for advice on any funding available locally to help with workforce development or to grow teams. We have therefore listed here two local initiatives which may be of interest to employers.

ESF Funding for upskilling employees

If your business is based in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Derby or Derbyshire, then you can apply for grant funding which can be used for upskilling your current workforce. This funding is available through an initiative called StayAhead; to access this, you must meet the following criteria:

• You must be an SME (less than 250 employees, not a subsidiary)
• StayAhead monies can be obtained until 30th September 2019
• £2,500 per organisation to fund training for ALL existing staff!
• The StayAhead contribution can be no more than 40% of the total cost of training
• The StayAhead contribution is in addition to basic skills qualifications and Apprenticeships
• The training identified should be registered on the Ofqual Register
• The training can be either a full course or a unit!

To find out more about StayAhead in Nottingham or Derby you can contact the lead via the Nottingham Jobs.

Taking on an apprentice

If you are planning to take on your first employee or you are growing your team, then it’s worth considering taking on an apprentice. The benefit is that you are taking on additional capacity at a lower cost, and there are lots of grants available to help you get started.

The D2N2 Growth Hub has information about the benefits of taking on apprenticeships and also signposts you to resources that are worth reviewing to help you decide what is best for your business.

An additional benefit of taking on an apprentice is that you are giving a young person in the local community the opportunity to develop their career by taking a hands-on approach. This helps build loyalty, and you can shape them to fit into your business and develop the skills that are most important for you.

Remember when you start employing staff, you did need to understand all your legal responsibilities as an employer as well as payroll, auto-enrolment and changes to employment taxes.

If you would like any advice in these areas, please do get in touch by calling 01623 490 120 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..