Leading Lancashire project continues to benefit county’s small businesses

Myerscough is a delivery partner in the Leading Lancashire programme, a project which enables Lancashire’s SMEs (less than 250 employees) to develop the leadership and management skills of their workforces to create the leaders of the future, providing the county’s SME workforce with access to training focussed on developing skills for current and future managers and leaders, and enabling them to progress into, sustain and develop within leadership management roles.

Short accredited courses from the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) and Chartered Management Institute (CMI) offer bespoke training to meet individual employee needs.

By taking part in the Leading Lancashire project, people create their own training plan enabling them to develop effective leadership and management knowledge, skills and behaviours; improve their potential for career development and advancement and gain nationally recognised leadership and management qualifications.

People are a business’s greatest asset, and investing in staff leads to improved performance in an organisation. The timing has never been better where industries across the UK have been, and continue to feel the challenges of Coronavirus. In addition, agriculture has seen many challenges in particular the restructuring of the agricultural industry, the growth of supermarkets, changes to subsidies and regulations. Now, as we leave our European partners, another challenge is on the horizon where the potential lack of seasonal labour coming from abroad is already causing concerns to farmers and growers for 2021. Can this problem be addressed by looking at skills gaps and training?

Britain has a diverse range of education available for businesses and employees. Myerscough College has always served its farming community, traditionally providing the training needed to ensure the supply of skills for agriculture by delivering courses in further education, apprenticeships and short courses. People management and leadership skills is essential for any business and key to every industry in the UK.  Myerscough College has recognised that more businesses are looking for progression opportunities for existing staff and looking to them to train in house. We have therefore expanded our industry offer to deliver short courses, workshops and qualifications in Leadership and management.

The Leading Lancashire project at Myerscough College is already making a difference to Lancashire employees ensuring they gain the necessary skills to either become first-time managers or lead a team. Moving up the ladder and taking supervisory responsibility can be seen as progression and a move in the right direction but sometimes it can be seen as awkward around old colleagues and friends. It doesn’t have to be that way though and can be mastered through a series of workshops or one to one coaching and mentoring to ensure that staff are upskilled to manage and lead.

Leadership & management courses can be delivered as a full qualification starting at Level 3 or non-regulated with attendance at a standalone workshop or series of workshops with bespoke delivery focusing on your choice of leadership and management.

Delivery can be at your place of work or at Myerscough College’s Bilsborrow campus (subject to the latest Coronavirus restrictions).

Find out how your business can benefit by emailing andrea@myerscough.ac.uk or calling 01995 642143.