The Skills Bank is an exciting new service which invests in skills and expertise to drive business growth.

The Skills Bank will bring about a new culture in the skills system by empowering employers to choose and invest in the skills that they need. It is a £17 million fund, comprising of funding from the European Social Fund and Growth Funding.

Pinewood Property Lettings is based in Chesterfield and is just one of the many local businesses in the Sheffield City Region benefitting from Skills Bank funding. Stacey Davies-Bowler is the founder and Managing Director of Pinewood Property Lettings. The business has been running since 2004 and is an independent local lettings agency and property management agency.

Stacey first found out about the Skills Bank “through one of the Chesterfield Champions meeting.” Stacey was interested to find out more because “we are very keen to train our staff in many different areas as they are our largest and most important asset.”

Pinewood have recently had funding approved for the following training courses Digital Marketing - Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) Award, Human Resources Practice - Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) Foundation Certificate and Managing self, Managing relationships Managing tasks. They will be completing these courses over the coming months.

Experience of the SCR Skills Bank

The process of applying for a Skills Deal is designed to be easy to use and our dedicated team of Relationships Managers and brokers are able to guide employers through the process. Stacey initially felt “blinded by the different courses on offer” but once a Relationship Manager got in touch “things went very smoothly. She guided me through every step and was at the end of the phone whenever I needed more guidance. She even liaised with the training providers for me to ensure that the course was right for us.” With the support and guidance from a Relationship Manager “finding the right courses was very easy” for Pinewood Properties.

Unlocking growth potential

Pinewood properties will be completing their training over the coming months to grow their business and upskill their workforce.

HR training will allow the business to increase their overall performance as there will now be a fully trained employee with the relevant expertise to keep staff happy. By completing a course on digital marketing this will grow the brand awareness of the business and ensure that Pinewood Properties is not “left behind in the digital age.”

"Managing Self" course will allow the team at Pinewood Properties to understand their strengths and weaknesses so that they can work more effectively together. Stacey feels that “the better we understand each other and the better we work together the faster the business will grow.”

The Skills Bank allows employers within the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to take ownership over the development of their workforce and offers them the opportunity to grow their business by applying for funding. Stacey “would recommend the Skills Bank to every small business that requires some sort of training. There is a very high chance that they will find a course to suit your needs. This is great for the local market and can only help business prosper.”

Find out more about the South Yorkshire Skills Bank and check your eligibility.