Skills Bank Boost For Beauty Clinic
Enhance Aesthetics and Laser Clinic in Rotherham have benefited from help with training from the South Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership’s Skills Bank to support their recovery from the Coronavirus pandemic.
Even though the business was doing well before COVID-19, the business had furloughed its employees at the beginning of lockdown when beauty salons had to close, so they reached out to South Yorkshire’s Skills Bank for support to help them build back better following the pandemic. They did this by securing 80% funding support for employee training from South Yorkshire’s Skills Bank.
Kate Killeen, owner of Enhance Aesthetics, told us: “I currently own two businesses in the beauty sector. I started as a clinic manager in 2014, and in 2017 I took over Enhance as my own successful business with two employees.
“Although the pandemic has presented challenges, as we were amongst the first industries to close before lockdown and the last to reopen, it has also meant that some of the fundamental changes I wanted to make are as important as ever. These changes will now not just be the key to being profitable, they will be essential for survival.”
Having engaged with the Local Enterprise Partnership’s Skills Bank in 2019, Kate knew that help was available in the region and contacted the service to explore ways they could support her to not only survive the current crisis but also put in place the foundations for future success and growth.
For companies that need more support to understand the issues and identify needs, the Growth Hub and Skills Bank Skills Advisors are a dedicated and free service to help all companies identify how they can access the help, support and funding that’s available. Businesses can access growth specialists, finance advisors, innovation advisors and skills advisors, all via the Growth Hub. Expert skills advisors can help businesses to submit their applications and advise what other business support is available.
Kate continued: “Without the training I accessed through Skills Bank, I would not be planning for growth over the next five years”
“The training, delivered by a business in the South Yorkshire, allowed me to examine the business, recognise our strengths, identify areas for development and develop a strategy to move forwards. This is just the start – I’m now keen to develop additional skills to manage the growth of the business.”
“I have also initiated motivation training to help my staff adjust to returning to work after furlough. Together we will get used to new ways of working and to making sure our customers feel safe.”
Every business in South Yorkshire can access high-quality advice, training and funding to help them develop and grow. This includes online training programmes for businesses during the crisis and a rapid response service for businesses helping with the government’s Coronavirus strategy, such as producing protective personal equipment (PPE) or sanitisers.
Discover the range of services that are available to help your business and get in touch with our advisors by visiting https://skillsbank.southyorkshire-ca.gov.uk/