BUSINESS SUPPORT
Wakefield business support involves delivering FREE tailored business support to Wakefield district-based enterprises to achieve their objectives, across many areas including recruitment, apprenticeships, access to funding, business strategy, upskilling their team, networking, and business growth planning, or anything else.
All our business support officers are qualified in Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (SFEDI) Level 3 in Enterprise Mentoring.
START UP WEST YORKSHIRE
Are you wanting to start your own business, or have you recently started your own business and are looking for support?
Shabana loves helping people and enjoys working with people to turn a business idea into a viable new business.
Fully funded support available to those wanting to start a new business, or who have recently launched a new business. This includes a wide range of useful webinars and workshops, tailored to support individuals looking at a career in self-employment.
For further information please contact Shabana Yousaf-McIntyre - syousaf-mcintyre@wakefield.gov.uk
AD-VENTURE
Are you a business under 3 years old, and looking to grow?
Kate is a champion of the creative sector and a huge advocate of the design process to empower organisations.
Keith is passionate about supporting new businesses and looking at innovative ways to overcome barriers faced by businesses.
Support for pre-start up and early-stage businesses up to 3 years old.
Offer incorporates bespoke guidance to small and medium sized businesses, which includes expert mentoring, events and workshops, grants and more.
For more information, please contact either Kate Gledhill kgledhill@wakefield.gov.uk or Keith Evans kevans@wakefield.goc.uk
BUSINESS GROWTH
Are you a business with between 5-100 employees looking to grow?
Gareth has a background in business development, including recruitment, and enjoys meeting and getting to know new businesses.
Mindir has extensive experience working in the business support environment and enjoys sharing his skills, knowledge, and expertise with local businesses.
Businesses can connect with a local Growth Manager to discuss where their business is now and what they would like to achieve in the future. Growth Managers find tailored solutions and identify suitable local or national support and funding available from the LEP and our partners on your behalf.
For more information, please contact Gareth Morley garethmorley@wakefield.gov.uk or Mindir Paul mpaul@wakefield.gov.uk
PEOPLE AND CULTURE
Are you a business in the Wakefield district looking for support with your people strategy?
Lisa is a CIPD qualified and has a passion for all things people related, helping businesses to deliver value through their people practices.
One to one mentoring support around your businesses people agenda.
Support to maximise operational efficiencies through your people in areas such as, recruitment, retention, organisational culture, employee engagement, employer brand and any other support relating to your people strategy.
This offer is available to all businesses in the Wakefield district.
For further information please contact Lisa McNaught - lmcnaught@wakefield.gov.uk
APPRENTICESHIP LEVY TRANSFER
Are you a business in Wakefield looking to offload your unspent apprenticeship levy, or an SME looking to access financial support towards apprenticeship training?
Kevin has a strong background in education and business development and is really passionate about helping people on their journey in their chosen career pathway, as well as supporting businesses to find funding for apprenticeships.
Wakefield council have transferred up to 25% of their unspent apprenticeship levy to local SME’s, supporting upskilling of local people in priority sectors such as health and social care, engineering, construction and digital.
We offer support to large businesses in the district looking to offload their unspent levy, aligned to their organisation corporate social values.
We also support SMEs in the district seeking financial support from the levy transfer scheme, this includes support with identifying relevant training via apprenticeship standards, identification of providers and financial support ensuring 100% of the apprenticeship cost is covered.
For further information about this service please contact Kevin O’Reilly – koreilly@wakefield.gov.uk
If you are a business in Wakefield and do not fall into any of the above criteria, and would like free impartial indivualised business support, please contact one of the following Business Support Officers: -
- Gurpreet Singh Bansal – gsinghbansal@wakefield.gov.uk
- Lisa McNaught – lmcnaught@wakefield.gov.uk
- Sarah Marshall – sarahmarshall@wakefield.gov.uk
- Tony Baker – anthonybaker@wakefield.gov.uk
- Paige Cottam – pcottam@wakefield.gov.uk