A new service to revolutionise how businesses in Norfolk access training courses will go live in July with the help of funding from Norfolk County Council.

 

The Skill Up Norfolk website will make it easier for companies and individuals to find relevant courses by searching information uploaded by the county’s training providers.

 

Caroline Williams, chief executive of Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, which runs the site, said the service was the first of its kind in the county, and had an important role to play in driving up skills.

 

“It’s absolutely crucial that we make a concerted effort to close the skills gap which currently places Norfolk below the national average for adult skills,” she added.

 

“We hope this new service will help people who have had difficulty finding the most appropriate training courses, while it also gives training providers a valuable outlet to promote the courses that they run.”

 

An increase in skills could see the Norfolk economy grow by tens of millions of pounds, and create more than 2,000 jobs in the process.

 

“Higher skills result in higher productivity and business success, which in turn feeds into more wealth creation and a better standard of living,” said Mrs Williams.
 
“This service will make access to training easier, and signpost users to other useful sources of help.”

 

The site, which is free to use, includes information on how to access funding and lists over 1,000 courses.

 

It includes a map of training providers, with courses searchable by keyword, industry sector and attendance from day release to full time.