Destination Chesterfield

December blog- Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield

Destination Chesterfield chair Peter Swallow has provided an update to businesses and residents in Chesterfield, as we take a look back on the positive developments which have progressed in the town this year and look ahead to Christmas and 2021.

Peter Swallow Chair of Destination Chesterfield

Despite the challenges that 2020 has thrown at us all, we end the year on a positive note and a message of hope.

It would be very easy to write-off 2020 as an unmitigated disaster. We have all been bombarded with Covid-related bad news throughout the year. However, amongst the doom and gloom there has been some good news, and a common thread of hope throughout the year.

Development and investment, which will lay the foundation for future jobs in the town, has continued throughout 2020. Significant headway has been made on the new Enterprise Centre being constructed on the donut car park, and construction of the new ‘grade a’ offices at Chesterfield Waterside got underway.

Despite the imposed social distancing, I believe that Chesterfield’s communities have become closer and more supportive of each other during the pandemic. Although there are high hopes for the vaccine which has recently been announced, it is important that we maintain the Shop Local momentum over Christmas.

Chesterfield is a resilient and adaptable town and nowhere is this more evident that on our high street.

We have seen businesses adapt overnight – from doorstep deliveries of beer, tea and coffee, drive and buy fruit and veg on the market, to website launches and takeaway gourmet meals to cook at home. These small things have kept us all connected and smiling!

Non-food retailers, restaurants, bars and cafes have had it particularly tough. However, we have embraced the Shop Local message and gone out and supported local businesses enabling the survival of many.

In these challenging times it has never been more important to support each other. I am delighted that Destination Chesterfield and Chesterfield Borough Council have continued to work collaboratively this year on the Christmas in Chesterfield Campaign. Combining our efforts will reinforce the Support Local message.

We may not be able to physically get into the high street businesses, but many independent retailers, restaurants and cafes offer us access to their products and services from the comfort of our homes using our laptops, tablets, telephones and perhaps even carrier pigeons (OK, maybe not carrier pigeons——!)

Making the decision to choose an independent retailer for your gifts and food both now and beyond the pandemic will make a huge difference to our high street.

As we look to 2021, there can be no simpler message for the town other than ‘support each other.’

I wish you all a happy and HEALTHY Christmas and New Year.

 

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‘Shop local to help independent retailers overcome impact of lockdowns,’ says East Midlands Chamber

East Midlands Chamber has stressed the importance of shopping locally now the national lockdown has ended.

Ahead of Small Business Saturday on 5 December, the chamber of commerce says it has never been more important to support local businesses that have been badly affected by coronavirus lockdowns.

Scott Knowles, chief executive of East Midlands Chamber, said: “As so-called ‘non-essential’ retailers are finally allowed to reopen after a month of national lockdown, it is vital that they receive the support of local people.

“Businesses have invested huge amounts of money into making themselves Covid-secure but have lost out through no fault of their own as they have been forced to close again. Customers who feel safe and comfortable to visit shops again once national restrictions are lifted should be mindful to support small independents in particular.

“At a time when our city and town centres are being decimated by the collapse of chains, these are the businesses that will hopefully remain once stores around them close. They are the beating heart of high streets and a huge part of the character in what makes towns and cities unique.

“Small Business Saturday is a great initiative that highlights the wide variety of businesses that people have on their doorstep, and in 2020 it’s perhaps never been more important to give them our support.”

On Friday 4 December, the Chamber will run a virtual roundtable event with Derby North MP Amanda Solloway to prepare for Small Business Saturday. You can find out more and book your place at the event here

The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy will speak to her local businesses about the impact of lockdown and their plans for the future.

Find out more about shopping locally in Chesterfield here. High street shops and Chesterfield’s market will also be extending their trading hours on the run-up to Christmas. Find out more and plan your shopping trip here.

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School workplace tours go virtual for Made in Chesterfield

Virtual tours of businesses operating in the town’s engineering and manufacturing sector, will ensure that young people in North Derbyshire continue to learn about STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers during the pandemic.

Tours of three Chesterfield businesses – MSE Hiller, United Cast Bar (UCB) and Woodhead Construction – have been produced as part of the 2020 Made in Chesterfield campaign to ensure that young people do not miss out on a STEM workplace experience during the pandemic.

The films feature a tour of the UCB foundry, MSE Hiller’s workshop and laboratory and Chesterfield Borough Council’s new Enterprise Centre which is currently being built by Woodhead Construction.

The first film, featuring UCB, is now available for education providers to download for free and share with students at https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/made/tours-for-schools/united-cast-bar-virtual-tour/.

Sponsored by Chesterfield College, the annual campaign is coordinated by Destination Chesterfield in partnership with Derbyshire Education Business Partnership, supported by Chesterfield Borough Council and North Derbyshire Careers Hub.

The campaign was originally launched in 2015 in response to companies in the sector reporting long term recruitment difficulties. Over the last five years, Made in Chesterfield has helped introduce thousands of young people in North East Derbyshire to careers in the STEM sector.

Julie Richards, Principal and Chief Executive of the Chesterfield College Group explained:

“Initiatives like Made in Chesterfield are really important to inspire the next generation and illustrate the range of exciting careers available in science, technology, engineering, and manufacturing. It is crucial for employers and educational providers to work together to find new and innovative ways of showcasing the possibilities in these sectors, despite the current restrictions. Learning and development must continue so we can look to the future, which is why virtual tours and interactive sessions to engage young people are so vital.

“Chesterfield College is delighted to be a sponsor of this partnership and we are proud to playing a role in developing the skills of our local experts of the future.”

Pre-Covid-19, as part of the campaign a number of companies in the sector have led and hosted hands-on tours of their sites as well as going into schools to meet students and give talks.

Ivan Fomin, Managing Director of MSE Hiller and Destination Chesterfield’s board member responsible for manufacturing and engineering in the Borough, commented: “I am delighted that we are able to take STEM experiences into the classroom. Although we are in the middle of a pandemic it is important that we continue to ensure that young people have access to education, training, jobs and work placements in Chesterfield’s STEM sector. With HS2 on the horizon there is the opportunity for the region to become recognised as an international centre of rail research and innovation but only if we have the skilled workforce to meet investor demand.

“Although virtual this year, I am confident that these videos will be successful in bringing together education providers and businesses to ensure local young talent is aware of the myriad of STEM jobs and careers available here.”

Schools throughout North East Derbyshire are now being encouraged to share the films with students and give them a virtual taste of career opportunities in the STEM sector.

To view the virtual tours, please visit https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/made/tours-for-schools

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Made in Chesterfield, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , , ,

Chamber chief executive writes to Prime Minister demanding greater clarity for businesses in lockdown decisions

The chief executive of East Midlands Chamber has written to Boris Johnson urging the Government to provide greater clarity to businesses over lockdown restrictions.

Scott Knowles told the Prime Minister yesterday (1 December) about the “dissatisfaction” felt by the private sector in the region regarding plans to place Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire into Tier 3 measures.

He said the East Midlands has been impacted by restrictions longer than anywhere else in the country, with Leicester and parts of Leicestershire the first area to be placed under local lockdown at the end of June, and reminded Mr Johnson of the five tests requested by the chamber of commerce – which represents 4,250 members across the three counties – by which to assess decisions taken.

Commenting on the new tiered approach to restrictions in the letter, Scott said: “I understand the difficult discussions involved in this and the numerous factors that have to be taken into consideration.

“However, I wanted to express our dissatisfaction at the outcome for the majority of the East Midlands and ask for greater clarity over the basis on which decisions were taken, future plans for ending these restrictions and greater support for those businesses impacted.”

Five tests for continued coronavirus restrictions on business activity in the East Midlands

The five tests set out in June, when the Leicester lockdown came into effect, were:

1) Any decisions around closures must be based on evidence that can be shared with those affected and taken on as local a basis as possible

2) Businesses must be given enough time to make the practical preparations needed for closing and reopening

3) An exit strategy, including triggers for changes, must be made available to businesses to support them in their planning and decision-making

4) Businesses adversely impacted must be given additional grant support to compensate them for costs associated with being shut, losing trade and investment into making themselves Covid-secure

5) During closures, steps must be taken locally to reduce the risk of further disruption, including improvements made to testing and tracing

Scott added that clear, timely and consistent communication was vital in underpinning these tests.

While businesses accept the country was still learning about the nature of coronavirus in the spring and early summer, he believes there are no longer any reasons why the tests shouldn’t be met nine months on and asked for feedback from Government on decisions taken that affect the East Midlands.

“To be clear, this is not intended to be a petulant request,” he added. “Working with our members, we see the on-the-ground impact that restrictions are having in terms of business failure, livelihoods destroyed and jobs lost, along with the negative social and health fallout of this – which promises to have a longer-lasting and greater deleterious impact than the virus itself – and believe that our businesses and the communities they serve deserve better.”

The Chamber has also offered to work closer with the Government to ensure communication to and from businesses in the region works better than it has to date.

With recognition the pandemic will continue to impact lives for months to come, Scott added: “A strong, growing private sector will be central to securing our recovery and ultimate success. There is no alternative that anything other than a fully open and functioning economy will right the recovery of the region.

“Right now, businesses require more focused and enhanced support, both financial and to support in planning, in order to ensure as many as possible are fit for growth in 2021 and beyond. Meeting our tests will help ensure this happens.”

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Bridge Help invites local businesses to help it support Chesterfield Food Bank this Christmas

Bridge Help is reaching out to Chesterfield Champions and asking them to help it support Chesterfield Food Bank with a little bit of luxury this Christmas.

Until Wednesday 16 December, Bridge Help is inviting local businesses to drop off donations of new and unopened packs of biscuits, chocolates, crisps, mince pies and Christmas cakes and puddings at the firm’s offices on Old Brick Works Lane off Sheffield Road.

Bridge Help will match all donations of luxuries with essential food, including cereal, long life milk and tinned goods, and then deliver everything to the Chesterfield Food Bank warehouse in Sheepbridge in time for Christmas.

December is the busiest time for Food Bank. The Trussell Trust, the UK’s largest network of food banks, expects a 61% increase in the number of food parcels needed this winter.

Chris Sellars, Chief Executive of Bridge Help, explained: “The team and I really wanted to support a charity this Christmas. Given the current economic climate and the predicament many people now find themselves in because of job loss, the Chesterfield Food Bank was the obvious choice for us all. As well as taking care of the necessities, we think it’s important to extend the spirit of Christmas by donating some small luxuries as well.

Chris explained the decision to offer up Bridge Help as a dropping off point for donations from the business community, saying: “With so many businesses working remotely, we hope we can help with their charitable efforts in the community this year by offering Bridge Help as a central dropping point for everyone who’d like to make a donation to Chesterfield Food Bank this year.”

To ensure a Covid-secure and socially-distanced donation, Bridge Help is inviting people to simply call ahead and arrange to drop their donation outside the door. A member of the Bridge Help team will collect the donation and store it safely until we make the drop off to the Chesterfield Food Bank

If you would like to make a donation, please call Phoebe on 0333 303 4681.

For further information about Bridge Help visit www.bridgehelp.co.uk or follow the company on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

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Derbyshire Education Business Partnership shortlisted for Children & Young People Now Awards

Derbyshire Education Business Partnership has been shortlisted for The Advice and Guidance Category in the Children & Young People Now Awards. The Awards highlight the very best practice in work with children, young people and families. In a year of turmoil and unprecedented challenges, the Awards recognise innovation and impact across the sector.

The partnership’s submission was for Directions – a new remote careers and guidance support service. Directions was developed in a response to COVID-19 to ensure continued support for the Raising Aspirations programme; which targets students identified as being most in need – young people facing multiple barriers to engaging fully with their education.

Clare Talati, Managing Director said, “When lockdown started in March 2020, young people were no longer able to access face to face support via school. Directions ensured that our experienced and dedicated staff could still get to know the young people, their strengths and aspirations and were able to provide support at a critical phase. We are incredibly proud to be recognised for our work.”

The programme – available to young people and their families in secondary and special educational needs and disability schools – includes access via telephone, email, webchat and video conferencing to:

• Careers advice and guidance

• Employer workshops

• How to guides

• Transition support

• Study techniques and resources

DEBP developed a range of new resources to support remote curriculum delivery covering over 20 themes including applications, Apprenticeships, employability, mental health, resilience, stress management, wellbeing and much more.

Employer support has also been fundamental to Directions and employer volunteers have provided many creative ideas, as well as their invaluable perspective on work and employment.

Since September, Derbyshire Education Business Partnership has adopted a blended approach of in-school ‘Raising Aspirations’ delivery, alongside ‘Directions’ remote service. This will see more than 2,000 young people supported through this project alone up until July 2021.

For more information on DEBP please visit www.debp.org

DEBP supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , ,

Report finds Chesterfield is one of the happiest places to live in East Midlands

A report published by Rightmove has found Chesterfield to be the second happiest place to live in our region. The property company compiles a list of happiest places to live across the UK each year, with St. Ives in Cornwall coming out at the top of the list nationally.

In the East Midlands region, Chesterfield sits just behind Loughborough who top the list, followed by Northampton, Derby and Lincoln.

The Rightmove study, now in its ninth year, asks residents to tell the company how they feel about where they live, as well as asking them to rank ten happiness factors.

The ten factors range from how friendly the neighbours are and how good the local services are, to the sense of belonging and the quality of nature and green spaces in the area.

Dom Stevens, Manager at Destination Chesterfield said “With stunning countryside and great outdoor spaces on the doorstep in the nearby Peak District – which proven to benefit mental health, great road and rail connectivity to major cities, superb local amenities and strong and supportive communities, Chesterfield really does have it all when it comes to the ingredients for a happy place to live.”

Rightmove says people living in rural and coastal areas were found to be happier with where they live than respondents living in cities and urban areas, which reflects a nationwide trend of people desiring better access to outdoor spaces.

The study also discovered that people living in rural and coastal locations were more likely to have developed a greater affinity with their local area during the initial lockdown period, with our study suggesting that accessibility to green spaces made people more appreciative of where they live.

Of the people who plan to buy or rent in the next 12 months, over half (56%) claimed they now place greater importance on access to nature and green spaces when deciding on the area and home they want to live in.

Rightmove data property expert Tim Bannister said: “Our latest research shows that despite all the challenges that this year has brought, many people have been able to reconnect with their local area and community which has had a positive effect on how they feel about where they live.

“Overall, I think lockdown has enabled people to rediscover what’s on their doorstep, and spending more time in their local areas has made people value their surroundings and communities so much more. This year’s study shows a greater appreciation for green spaces and nature, and a strong correlation between people living in coastal and rural areas and how happy people are where they live.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Leisure, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , ,

The Work-wise Foundation launches week-long virtual STEM careers showcase

Get Up to Speed with STEM, the area’s largest annual employer-inspired science, technology, engineering, manufacturing (STEM) and construction careers spectacular usually held at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham, is pleased to announce the launch of its first ever virtual showcase.

Organised by The work-wise Foundation and taking place from 22nd – 26th March 2021, Get up to Speed The Virtual Experience, will give young people the opportunity to learn about STEM industries and the careers available within the industries over the course of a week and from the comfort of their classroom, home or office.

During the interactive event, to be held in place of the organisation’s usual annual day-long expo to maintain safe social distancing, attendees will learn about what it is really like to work in the STEM sectors. This will be achieved through virtual company tours, live exhibitor demonstrations, ask the experts Q&A’s, competitions and presentations and panel discussions from businesses, inventors, apprentices and education providers within the industry.

John Barber, CEO of the work-wise Foundation and Chair of the Get up to Speed Steering Group, comments: “Young people have had a lot of restrictions placed on them this year, due to Covid-19 and we wanted to make sure they could still benefit from a real life experience of working in Science, Technology, Engineering and Manufacturing. We’re thrilled to be introducing a week’s worth of virtual activities, hosted in conjunction with dozens of employers. We’re confident that Get up to Speed 2021 will be just as exciting as it has always been.”

Sponsored by Sheffield’s Liberty Speciality Steels, Chesterfield’s CBE+ and Rotherham’s AESSEAL plc, Get up to Speed The Virtual Experience will also support learning in schools by linking the curriculum with real life experiences. This will allow young people to explore the diverse range of career opportunities available in an engaging and interactive way, whilst contributing towards levels 2-7 of the Gatsby Benchmarks; a framework of guidelines that define the best careers provision in secondary schools.

All schools or young people taking part will be required to register in advance. By doing so they will be allocated a unique code which will provide access to all planned events, as well as activity workbooks for each attendee. All workshops, tours and seminars will then be available to access for 4 weeks following the event to provide ample time for each student or young person to complete the course.

Over the past 10 years, Get up to Speed, which is championed by employers and delivered through The work-wise Foundation alongside key partners in the private and public sectors, has showcased engineering career opportunities to over 19,000 young people and their families from across the South Yorkshire region and beyond. The event also gives companies the opportunity to showcase their business whilst helping to address the skills gap in STEM-related industries.

Get up to Speed with STEM 2021 is open to young people, families, individuals, schools and employers. For more details and to register, go to www.getuptospeed.org.uk.

Businesses wishing to take part in the event or that may be interested in signing up as a sponsor, should contact Emily Woods at Emily@work-wise.co.uk / 07847433088 or John Barber at john@work-wise.co.uk / 07500 331400.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Leisure, Made in Chesterfield, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

Chesterfield’s Custom Solar complete work on £74,000 green energy project with local e-commerce firm

Chesterfield based Custom Solar has completed a £74,000 project at a fellow North Derbyshire business, creating energy savings equivalent to supplying eight average UK homes with electricity for one year.

Xbite is an e-commerce firm based in Chesterfield in which operates retail brands including 365Games.co.uk, Roov.co.uk, Maison & White, Pukkr and Shop4. The firm was awarded a maximum value £20,000 low-carbon energy grant to help install over 270 solar panels at its HQ offices at Barlborough and warehouse at Markham Vale.

The grant was made available through the DE-Carbonise project, a collaboration between the University of Derby, Derby City Council and Derbyshire County Council which offers help to SMEs seeking to lower their carbon emissions and will contribute to the total project investment of £74,000.

Custom Solar installed 278 panels onto the Xbite HQ at Balborough, which will generate 74,760 kw/h per annum, enough to power 21 residential homes for the year. This solar installation will also reduce CO2 emissions by 21 tonnes per year which is the equivalent to the tailpipe emissions of 10 fossil fuel cars.

Gary Sucharewycz, development director at Custom Solar, said: “We are delighted to be working with Xbite. Whilst we are a national developer and provider of solar systems it is great to support local projects such as this. Investing in sustainability and renewable energy projects is majorly important to the environment, good for our communities, and great for businesses wanting to make an impact by generating their own power on site, which in turn makes significant savings on their power expenditure.”

Nick Whitehead, managing director at Xbite, said: “As part of our values to innovate and invest today for tomorrow, we are investing heavily to install solar panels at our Barlborough HQ. This installation means we can look to decrease our environmental impact, with beneficial gains towards operational performance, therefore improving our overall economic performance.

“The DE-Carbonise Team took all the hassle away from applying for the grant and were great to work with. Solar panels will help us reduce our CO2 emissions by 20,731kg per year, and generate 74,760 kWh per year of electricity, some of which we will be able to sell back to the National Grid.”

Ade Agbonyin, project officer at De-Carbonise, said: “Through our guidance, Xbite saw the chance to radically improve the company’s energy and environmental efficiency and make the shift to more sustainable business practices.”

The DE-Carbonise project launched in November 2019 and is a 3-year extension to the previously successful and award-winning D2EE project, part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund. Grants of up to £20,000 are available for businesses looking to improve their environmental practices. Over 500 businesses in Derby and Derbyshire have been supported to date.

Custom Solar Ltd. supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

 

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Made in Chesterfield, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , , ,

Summit details roadmap key to Chesterfield thriving post pandemic

Public health will dominate the agenda in 2021 as Chesterfield looks to recover financially from the pandemic.

That was the message from Chief Executive of the Association of Town & City Management, Ojay McDonald, who headlined the fourth annual Chesterfield Investment Summit held on Wednesday 25 November.

Speaking at the virtual event which was organised by Destination Chesterfield, Mr McDonald said: “Public health will absolutely dominate the debate and will dictate how our town centres evolve going forward. We need to see town centres as ultra safe zones. People want safe, regulated spaces where they can meet, greet and network.”

He stressed that, despite the imminent vaccine, no-one knows whether the current town centre issues caused by the pandemic are short or long-term.

Mr McDonald did, however, highlight opportunities for the town centre brought about by the increase in home working. “Town centres can look to Paris in France for inspiration and its 15-minute city plan which has everything you need within a 15-minute radius on foot or bike.”

As well as addressing the challenges facing the high street and its long-term survival, the summit also outlined how the town plans to capitalise on the office and rail opportunities that are projected to emerge post Covid.

Office expert Darren Mansfield, Partner at Global Real Estate Consultants Knight Frank, who also spoke at the summit, agreed that home working would continue however demand for high quality office space locally was also forecast to increase.

He explained: “Employee fatigue and deficiencies in data protection have all emerged from working from home, therefore it is not a long term option. Instead, a hybrid model of home and office working is at the heart of the workspace strategy of the future. Offices will become showcases that are the centre of innovation, education and employee wellbeing.”

Rather than having a single large office, Mr Mansfield said that businesses will want to spread risk. As a consequence, large businesses will look to regional markets like Chesterfield, which is well positioned to capitalise on the increased demand for quality office space, with new developments at Chesterfield Waterside and Northern Gateway as well as having excellent road links and mainline rail connectivity.

At the summit, Chesterfield’s SMEs operating in the rail sector were identified as having a critical role to play in the ‘Building Back Better’ 2030 agenda.

Speaking at the summit Elaine Clark, Chief Executive of the Rail Forum Midlands, urged SMEs in the town to collaborate and work better together to capitalise on the opportunities available now in the rail sector.

“HS2 construction is well underway and there are opportunities now. There is a lot of expertise in the area but Chesterfield cannot be complacent and rely on its rail heritage. Local companies are well-placed to support future investment however they must collaborate with each other in order to compete with large companies on the continent.”

Capitalising on the forthcoming HS2 stop in the town, Chesterfield Borough Council has recently taken a part freehold, part leasehold interest in the former Chesterfield Hotel site. The site, which has been vacant for a number of years, has been identified as a key development opportunity in the emerging HS2 Station Masterplan, which aims to harness the opportunities presented by HS2 and revitalise the area around Chesterfield.

In addition to rail, the office sector has also been identified as a strategic priority for Chesterfield Borough Council. Speaking at the Summit, Huw Bowen, Chief Executive of Chesterfield Borough Council referenced the council’s commitment to funding both the new town centre Enterprise Centre and the new seven-story office block at Chesterfield Waterside. He said that it was ‘absolutely the right thing to do’ to make these investments at the height of the pandemic when sadly too many Chesterfeld residents were losing their jobs.

The new Enterprise Centre, once complete, will support up to 32 new start-up businesses providing not only technology enabled space but also on-site business advisers to support the town’s entrepreneurs to develop their ideas and establish great businesses for the future.

He commented: “Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, Chesterfield continues to move forward. Town centre regeneration – and supporting retailers and office-based businesses to adapt to changing work practices post-Covid – is a key element of the council’s Economic Recovery Plan.

“This includes the Northern Gateway Scheme where construction of the new Enterprise Centre on Holywell Cross (Donut) is well underway, and the new office development at Chesterfield Waterside. Well done too to Blue Deer Ltd. who are also on site progressing The Glass Yard development at Sheffield Road.

“The town won’t have seen office accomodation of this quality before. The key now is to make sure that these offices meet the needs of employers looking to provide socially distanced, flexible and creative work space in the post-Covid world.”

Cllr Tony King, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, Derbyshire County Council also spoke at the free event which was broadcast live by Virtual World and organised by Derbyshire Economic Partnership, Destination Chesterfield and Marketing Derby and is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

You can watch the Investment Summit at https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/events/chesterfield-investment-summit/

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Made in Chesterfield, UncategorisedTagged in , , , ,

Funded training available to employers and individuals facing redundancy in Chesterfield

Funded training has been made available to employers and individuals facing redundancy in Chesterfield and the wider Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire region.

Skills Support for the Workforce (SSW) and Skills Support for Redundancy (SSR) are programmes developed to upskill employees within small and medium-sized businesses in the D2N2 area, along with offering tailored training for individuals at risk of redundancy or those who have recently been made redundant.

SSR helps people access training courses in order to further their skills and qualifications to help them get back into the workplace. The project works in collaboration with the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) and the National Careers Service (NCS).

It helps provide advice on how to claim benefits, how to create a CV and provides career guidance. It also works to bridge any skills gap an individual may have that prevents them from getting back into the workplace.

Courses include IT skills, administration, leadership and management, education, health and social care, warehousing and storage and retail operations.

SSW provides recognised accredited qualifications and bespoke training courses to enhance your employees’ skills, increase the competitiveness of your business and boost the local economy.

Training on offer includes:

Upskill for workplace success

-Training and advice in a wide range of vocational and sector specific training to help secure employment in your existing business or to help you change your career

Career progression training 

-Developing higher skill levels to take you to the next step in your career, such as leadership and management or supervisory skills and training

Support with securing a new job

-To give you the best chance of securing a new role, the project can help build on your transferable skills and support where required with CV writing, online job searching, completing applications and interview techniques, or signpost you to local services that will be able to offer additional support

Rob Matts, Head of Skills Support for the Workforce at Serco, said: “I would urge businesses looking to train their staff, and individuals looking to progress their career, to take advantage of the funded training on offer. We look forward to enabling more businesses to upskill their staff and grow.”

For more information and eligibility criteria, email skillssupport@serco.com or visit www.serco.com/ssr

To find out more about working in Chesterfield, click here 

 

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , , , , , ,

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