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Newcastle University Business School scheme set to boost region’s small businesses

Newcastle University Business School is set to pioneer a new programme to support small North East firms in developing leadership and entrepreneurial skills.

After being awarded funding from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES), Newcastle University’s ‘CAPTURED’ scheme has already secured the support of some of the region’s leading companies, such as Siemens and Sage UK.

Aiming to address issues faced by small firms tending to underinvest in leadership and management training, the scheme will be lead by Dr Fiona Whitehurst.

Research has shown that investment in leadership and management skills can have a particularly strong impact on performance for firms with between five and 19 employees.

Dr Whitehurst said: “We are delighted to have been selected as one of the eight projects funded through the UKCES competition as this gives us an excellent opportunity to take a new approach to the development of leadership and management skills.

“We are collaborating with the Federation of Small Businesses and large regional businesses who, like us, want to make a difference to the prosperity of our region by supporting small enterprises”.

This project will also be supported by the Federation of Small Businesses. Ted Salmon, Regional Chairman of FSB said: “Businesses have traditionally found it difficult to know who to contact in Universities and are usually unaware of the various research projects and resources available to them; conversely, engagement with SME’s tends seen as difficult due to their diverse nature, yet, many of the issues are common regardless of what it does or even the size of the business.

“The CAPTURED Programme will specifically address these needs, head on, building a productive collaborative environment between the University and business community not only identifying and strengthening the entrepreneurial culture of the North East Businesses but also assisting in incorporating greater resilience into this sector through a greater understanding and involvement of local SME’s in supply chains and increased potential of graduate retention and entrepreneurship through their work with those businesses.”

The funding is part of the UK Futures Programme which was set up by UKCES in April 2014 and aims to trial innovative ideas with industry to test ‘what works’ in addressing workforce development issues restraining business performance.

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