Applications are now open for a new government-funded business management course being delivered by Ulster University’s Business School.

The ‘Help to Grow’ scheme, launched this week, will offer a practical leadership and management training programme to owners, leaders, and senior managers of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the North West. The aim of the NI-wide programme is to help leaders boost business performance, resilience, and long-term growth.

Designed to be undertaken alongside full-time work, the scheme offers a combination of online and face-to-face sessions as well as access to an in-depth, high-quality curriculum to support business leaders to build their capabilities in leadership, innovation, digital adoption, employee engagement, marketing, responsible business, and financial management.

Supported by £220 million in funding from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), 90% of the costs involved are covered meaning participants will only have to cover a £750 charge.

The ‘Help to Grow’ programme will provide participants with access to 50 hours of leadership and management training and one-to-one mentoring spread across 12 weeks.

Professor Mark Durkin, Executive Dean at Ulster University Business School said: “Northern Ireland, including the North West region, is a small business economy with over 95% of businesses falling into that category. Indeed, from an employment perspective, SMEs here employ more people than the public sector and larger businesses combined.”

He continued: “Available across all our campuses, ‘Help to Grow’ will support North West leaders from all sectors, ranging from manufacturing to hospitality and professional services via our Magee campus. The scheme’s key outcome is to help participants to grow their business and reach its full potential, while supporting a higher wage economy in the North West and beyond.”

The ‘Help to Grow’ scheme will provide strategies to support businesses in four key areas, these are:

  • Growth and Innovation
  • Engaging customers
  • Building a sustainable business
  • Operations and financial strategies.

The first cohort will get underway on 7 September. To find out more about ‘Help to Grow’ visit: www.ulster.ac.uk/helptogrow