Leadership and Business Skills Courses Available to Chesterfield Organisations

Small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire can access support in developing leadership, management and business skills through three projects which have recently been launched by the University of Derby.

• The Smart and Inclusive Leadership (SAIL) project will support SMEs in developing the leadership and management skills needed to drive productivity and growth.
• Branch into STEM supports employees in developing problem solving, data and analytical skills, building confidence in their ability to create reports, plan finances or carry out other numerical tasks.
• The brand new, Reskill and Recover programme will help businesses return to growth and increase their productivity following the challenges of the past two years. Participants will learn advanced level business skills and be encouraged to develop new perspectives, thinking and ideas.

All three projects are part of the European Social Fund (ESF) High Level Skills programme and are delivered by a consortium of higher education, further education and third sector organisations. Led by Nottingham Trent University (NTU), the consortium includes the University of Derby, Derby College, Nottingham College, East Midlands Chamber of Commerce, Inspire Culture and Learning, and the Workers’ Educational Association.

The projects, part funded by the European Social Fund (ESF), will be bolstered by the same amount of funding from delivery partners, meaning there is no cost to eligible organisations that choose to participate.

Participants in the SAIL and Branch into STEM programmes are already finding the learning experience extremely valuable. Sam Hudson is part of the leadership team for Derby West Indian Community Association and participated in the SAIL initiative. She said: “The programme has supported me in developing so many skills. I’ve learned how to think on my feet, identify gaps in the services we offer, have difficult conversations, and speak up on behalf of our community.”

Robert Foryński is founder of Promedia Design. Speaking of his experience on the Branch into STEM programme he said “I have to analyse a lot of data every day. We use mathematical concepts all the time and I wanted to become more proficient in areas such as financial planning, management and forecasting and data analysis. The course really helped me to consolidate this fundamental knowledge.”

The programmes will all be open for enrolment in May 2022. To find out more about developing your leadership and management skills visit Smart and Inclusive Leadership Programme; for further information on problem solving, data and analytical skills visit Branch Out in STEM or to register your interest in developing advanced level business skills visit Reskill and Recover.

The University of Derby supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 190 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.