A NEATH firm has won a contract to provide management training for businesses across Wales.
Llandarcy-based Holistic Services has been appointed to provide fully bilingual leadership and training under the Welsh Assembly Government's Leadership and Management programme.
The scheme offers companies subsidised workshops for employees from supervisory up to senior manager level.
Holistic, which currently employs 40 consultants supporting over 200 organisations across the UK, will offer a range of courses including tailored leadership and management development, maximising operational performance, change management, performance coaching, operational quality practices and safety-related training.
Under the scheme, SMEs will be able to benefit from 70 per cent funding, meaning that courses costing £140 per delegate per day on the open market will cost only £42, with the Welsh Assembly Government funding the remaining £98.
Larger companies can also benefit, as they qualify for 50 per cent funding, while charities can apply for the funding through a bid process. The project has been part-funded by the EU's European Social Fund through the Welsh Assembly Government.
Crucial
Leading the management of the contract for Holistic Services will be business representative Paul Kift, training consultant Neil Haire, marketing manager Paula Morris and director of organisational development Emma Hodges, who said: "We know that budgets are restricted in the current economic climate, and that time is at a premium as many businesses are concentrating much of their time and resources on day-to-day survival. However, quality leadership and management are crucial to the success and longevity of businesses and the Welsh economy as a whole.
"This new funding framework will allow organisations to access high-quality training and leadership development while alleviating a high proportion of the cost burden; in effect, it's a 70 per cent discount, which will really help many businesses that may have put this kind of thing on hold.
"The benefits will be significant; strong leadership, effective managers and enhanced operational effectiveness will help pull Welsh businesses through these tough times and into prosperity again, and we're delighted to be contributing to this.
Published in the South Wales evening post 29.06.10.
