Commons launch for York-led business engagement network
Posted on 11 July 2008
Former Science and Innovation Minister, Lord Sainsbury, and the chairman of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee, Peter Luff MP, will host the House of Commons reception on 14 July, where The Training Gateway’s web portal will be unveiled.
The Training Gateway is growing fast with 570 business development and CPD staff already benefiting from support provided by the network. The Training Gateway, initiated by and hosted at the University of York, connects the business community to every UK university enabling businesses to procure high quality corporate and professional training.
The feedback we have been getting from both businesses and universities is fantastic... It's a great success
Amanda Selvaratnam, Chief Executive, The Training Gateway
The House of Commons event will bring together representatives from business with Sector Skills Councils (SSCs), brokers, Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) and the Learning Skills Council (LSC) as well as representatives of Government departments and agencies. The network won a Strategic Development Fund grant from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to launch its business-facing portal
So far, The Training Gateway has distributed more than 50 tenders in areas ranging from leadership and management training, English language courses and legal training. It has also issued tenders or expressions of interest in specific areas including under-sea oil exploration, health training for nurses in Dubai and India, and security consultancy in Singapore.
The network has provided CPD staff with training in SME engagement. A workshop at Birmingham University featured a presentation on business engagement from the West Midlands Business Link, and case studies from four universities demonstrating differing methods of successful engagement.
In September, representatives of The Training Gateway will attend the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) annual conference in Harrogate and UKTI’s Central European Corporate Education Event in Vienna.
Amanda Selvaratnam, The Training Gateway’s chief executive, said: “The feedback we have been getting from both businesses and universities is fantastic. Businesses are getting the staff training they need and universities are being exposed to opportunities that they would otherwise not have been aware of – it’s a real success”
Businesses that would like to contact the network for further information or to source training from the UK’s universities please contact Amanda Selvaratnam on 01904 435360 or email info@thetraininggateway.co.uk
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- For more information about The Training Gateway, contact Sam Gardner on 01904 435360 (t) 01904 435103 (f) or info@thetraininggateway.co.uk