‘Multiply for Business’ scheme adds up to benefit businesses across Bradford

Businesses across Bradford have the chance to improve productivity and offer career development opportunities for its employees by enrolling staff on a new programme to develop maths and numeracy skills.

Multiply, which is a fully-funded scheme by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, is designed for businesses to help its employees build confidence when working with numbers in the workplace.

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority has instructed Realise, one of the UK’s largest training providers, to deliver the Multiply programme with the aim of reaching at least 700 employees of businesses in the region over the next two years.

Catherine English, project lead for Multiply at West Yorkshire Combined Authority, commented: “This is a fantastic opportunity for SMEs and the wider business community across the region.

“This scheme is designed to help build confidence and remove anxiety around maths and numeracy for people who are required to use such skills as some part of their job, without it being the dominant feature.

“For the employee, this provides the chance to enhance their career development and increase their skillset while, for the business, it will help improve productivity and should assist with staff retention.”

The scheme is open to any business, regardless of which sector it operates in, which has staff who live in West Yorkshire, are aged 19 and over and don’t have a grade C or 4 in GCSE maths. Depending on the requirements of each business, the training will be delivered for between two and 30 hours.

Sarah Birkinshaw, delivery manager for Realise, added: “We want to engage with as many businesses as possible in West Yorkshire as this can make a real difference to both its people and its performance.

“When a business signs up for Multiply, we will consult very closely with its team to find out its specific requirements and devise a bespoke programme within the Multiply framework to ensure we are delivering sessions which meet the needs of the business. There is no one-size-fits-all approach for Multiply.”

As part of a legacy of the scheme, it is hoped each business which signs up will create ‘numeracy champions’ to ensure all current and future employees in the business have in-house access to expertise. It is hoped a network of around 100 numeracy champions will be created across West Yorkshire, with events held to bring the group together.

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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