Progress at Business Link North East

This is the first entry on my new nebusiness.co.uk blog. So as it’s my first time, I’m going to shamelessly use the opportunity to advertise the progress being made by Business Link North East. Who we are, what we do and how to use us.

We were launched on April 1st this year as an independent, private-sector-led organisation, with two main contracts, from One NorthEast and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC).

One single, regional business support service, with one clear set of priorities. Easy to get to and speaking the same language as business.

Making better use of our resources and streamlining our services to deliver more value. Our aim is quite simply to help businesses in the North East to establish, succeed and grow.

Helping to transform the regional economy by supporting businesses of all sizes and from all sectors. From businesses that are just starting up to established and successful businesses seeking to grow.

We want to create nothing less than the best business support service in the best region of the UK. Which requires us to radically change the way in which we work.

That means providing prompt and easy to access information, advice and guidance to businesses that need it. Either face-to-face, through our team of accredited account managers and brokers, or via a telephone or internet connection.

Our team offer an impartial brokerage service that will help businesses to diagnose what support they need and where they can get it.

On everything from access to finance right through to online opportunities or R&D tax credits. Putting you in touch with high quality providers. That will provide the support you need.

Business Link North East also operates the North East of England Investment Centre which may provide financial assistance for some projects which have the ability to materially improve the performance of a business and its contribution to the regional economy.

Our team also delivers the Train to Gain service on behalf of the LSC. Providing businesses with access to a team of accredited skills brokers that will work with them to identify skills and training provision to fit their needs.

From basic skills, through NVQ work-based learning, right through to higher level bespoke solutions and both HE and FE mainstream provision. And in many cases, there are subsidies to support those programmes in full or in part.

It’s our job to make sure organisations of all sizes get the training they need to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive business environment by improving the skills of their workforce.

So whether it’s advice on core business issues, start-up support or advice on training and skills, you can walk through one door, ring one phone number or visit one website.

And although we are providing a regional service, we’ll be delivering it locally based on the needs of businesses across the region. We’ll have more resources out in the field, working with businesses and available at a range of access points.

We’re working with Local Government and key agencies to simplify the business support environment and make us easy to use. Our priorities are aligned with the Regional Economic Strategy and we’re making sure that we’re focused on value not volume. Results not activity. And those results are measurable in the number of businesses we work with that start and grow.

We are very much open for business and move to our new regional HQ in Seaham during October. The message is simple… If it’s business support you need, it’s Business Link. If it’s advice on skills or training you need, it’s Business Link.

So if you want to get in touch or find out more it couldn’t be simpler. Just phone 0845 600 9 006 or visit our website at businesslinknortheast.co.uk. Why don’t you get in touch now and tell us how we might be able to help you.

Alastair

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