WORKERS in small and medium sized (SME) businesses across the area will be able to access fully-funded training – after a Windsor and Langley based College was awarded hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Trainers at East Berkshire College have led a team of colleges in the county to secure £900,000 funding from the European Social Fund (ESF).

The money will help upskill SME workforces until June 2018 on a range of courses.

Businesses with less than 250 full time employees, and operating in Berkshire itself, can go for the training, which is for employees aged over 16.

The College, which has sites in St Leonards Road, Windsor and Station Road, Langley, applied as part of the Skills for the Workforce project – which covers training in areas such as IT, administration, science, health and care, nursing, engineering and hospitality.

Lynette Chadwick, the ESF project manager at East Berkshire College, said: “With over 40,000 SMEs in Berkshire, we want to support as many businesses as possible in their growth plans.”

Employees will be able to gain accredited units, certificates or diplomas as well as non-accredited training to enhance their knowledge and skills. This could also lead them to further industry recognised qualifications.

The training programmes are fully funded and flexible, so that they can be as effective.

Neighbouring colleges will also benefit from the £900,000 pot to deliver training. These are Bracknell & Wokingham College, Newbury College, Reading College, TESS Group and West Berkshire Training Consortium.

For information on the project and how your business can access training, contact East Berkshire College on 01753 443855, email business.services@eastberks.ac.uk or visit eastberks.ac.uk/skillsfortheworkforce.