Upskilling@Work

Upskilling @Work is a funded operation supported by the European Social Fund through the Welsh Government. It is part of a pan-Wales operation designed to enhance skills and increase productivity in the workplace, providing opportunities for employers to gain accredited qualifications for their workforce.

The business benefits

The training is demand led, totally focused on the individual requirements of your team and delivered at a time and place convenient to your business. Suitable staff will be identified for the programme, and a training plan implemented that will increase generic, technical and transferable skills at all levels - from Entry Level 1 to Level 6 - right across the workforce. The training will help ensure that your workforce is equipped with the job specific skills needed to nurture growth, increase productivity and drive up profit.

What support will you get?

Upskilling @Work has programmes (titled SO1 and SO2) operating in 2 regions - east Wales and west Wales and the Valleys.

Both operations are identical but they target staff at different levels of skills competency:

• SO1 provides training at Entry Level and Level 2 for employees who have no or low qualifications.
• SO2 provides training for employees to increase their technical or job specific skills from Level 3 to Level 6.

If the training is on the approved list of courses, and is delivered by a participating further education college, then it can be offered to your business at a reduced cost.

If there is a specific course more suitable for your business that's not on the approved list - an application can be made to determine if funding can be made available.

Your commitment

These courses are part funded, but you will still need to pay a percentage of the cost of the course. The level of co-investment depends on the size of your business.

• small employers pay 30% of the training fees
• medium sized companies pay 40% of the training fees
• large organisations will pay 50% of the training fees

There is an additional fee to employers in south east Wales

Is your business eligible?

Upskilling @Work operates in 2 regions:

• west Wales and the Valleys - Bridgend, RCT, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen
• east Wales - Monmouth, Newport, Cardiff, Vale of Glamorgan and Powys

Any business - large or small - operating in either of these regions should qualify for the programme.  However, there are some specific eligibility criteria, so to identify the best training options for your business, contact us for further advice.

Call the Business Wales Helpline on 03000 6 03000 or contact us.

Rydym yn croesawu galwadau yn Gymraeg / We welcome calls in Welsh.

Upskilling @Work is part-funded by the European Social Fund through the Welsh Government.

Programme Checklist		EU funds in Wales
Delivery Area	West Wales and the Valleys - Bridgend, RCT, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen East Wales - Monmouth, Newport, Cardiff, Vale of Glamorgan and Powys
Status	Live
Supported by the European Social Fund?	Yes
Programme Lead	Coleg Gwent and Coleg y Cymoedd