Employers of all sizes are invited to a skills summit about government funding and free training.

The Dorset Skills Day – Grow your Business with Training – is from 8am to 2pm at the Springfield Country Hotel near Wareham this Thursday, February 22.

It is a free event for employers in Purbeck to attend all day or drop in for sessions relevant to them.

More than 20 training and support organisations will be on hand including Weymouth College, Kingston Maurward College, Bournemouth and Poole College and the Department for Work and Pensions.

The Dorset Skills Day has been put together by Dorset Chamber supported by Dorset Council, BCP Council, the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the Federation of Small Businesses.

The aim is to provide facts about the apprenticeship system, new skills bootcamps and T levels, and some free courses, all of which can help attract new staff and retain and expand the skills of current staff.

Dorset Chamber chief executive Ian Girling

Ian Girling, Dorset Chamber Chief Executive, said: “So many businesses and other employers are struggling to find people to fill their vacancies.

“We have almost full employment in Dorset, so understanding the government training on offer that can attract and support new staff and help keep and develop current staff is crucial to success.”

A free seminar programme will offer the features and benefits of each training opportunity in 15-minute sessions, with examples of what works well shared by Agincare, Beagle Aircraft, BCP Council, Yunex Traffic, Magna Housing and Atlas Elektronik.

Attracting and retaining neurodiverse staff and staff with disabilities to grow the workforce is also a theme.

All the stories and advice are relevant to micro and small employers.

A drop-in option is available too so busy people can visit at a time to suit them or to attend a specific expert session.

The exhibition of training providers is open from 8am to 2pm, expert speakers are from 9am to 12noon.

Visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dorset-skills-day-2024-grow-your-business-with-funded-training-tickets-780626804787 for details.

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