Developing your skills as a London business owner

The business world moves quickly and there are always new challenges and opportunities. When you're running a small business in one of the most fast-paced cities in the world, it pays to be agile and forward-thinking.

The benefits of bringing new skills into your business go well beyond a simple knowledge boost. They can have a positive impact on every aspect of your and your employees' lives and contribute to your long-term success, both professionally and personally.

This blog provides a list of training opportunities currently available to help you develop your skills and improve your career prospects.

Benefits of upskilling yourself or your staff

• Stay ahead: by keeping on top of your learning, you get to stay ahead of your competitors and find new solutions for your business challenges.

• Productivity: things change fast in the business world. Learning about the latest productivity tools or improving internal processes at your company can give your business a boost.

• Employee retention: it's been shown that if you allow your staff to attend courses and learn on the job, they tend to remain loyal to your business.

• Adaptability: in London's ever-changing, bustling culture, knowing how to adapt your business to your customers' needs and current trends can make a huge difference to your sales.

• Happy customers: the more you upskill and innovate, the easier it is for clients to refer you to their networks.

Business skills to develop

Digital

With good digital and IT skills, you can further your understanding of data – how to gather it, how to analyse it, and the important things it tells you about your small business.

• Capel Manor College:

  • Website design (level 1): this course is designed to help you learn how to create a simple website using professional tools and techniques.

• Capital City College Group (CCCG):

  • Digital skills academy: free training opportunities and support packages to help Londoners gain digital skills and work across all sectors.

• City Lit Institute:

  • Digital and IT skills: build your understanding of digital skills for the workplace over eight to 16 weeks. Develop in areas such as presentation, collaboration and project management. Free to most learners.

• Fareport Training:

  • Digital marketing skills bootcamp: join other small business owners online for a practical marketing course over 14 weeks.

• Fashion Retail Academy:

  • Data analytics: an intensive paid course for people already familiar with data. Build your skills with databases, data management, analysis and more.

  • Microsoft Excel: master this spreadsheet software and learn how to manage and analyse data, in this paid course.

  • PowerBI: a paid course of hands-on training in using PowerBI software to create and share key data about your business. Ideal for beginner to intermediate learners.

• Idea Store Learning:

  • Digital skills in the workplace: the skills you need to help you promote or sell your product of business online.

• London South East Colleges (LSEC):

  • Computer Basics: enabling students to develop basic IT skills, helping to develop new and existing skills to be used for a range of tasks.

  • Digital Marketing – Certificate: this course is the right foundation if you have little or no previous digital marketing experience.

  • Information Communication Technician Apprenticeship: this apprenticeship leads to ICT monitoring, administering, troubleshooting and support systems.

• Mary Ward Centre:

  • Award in IT User Skills – level 1: improve your office IT skills for work and business.

  • Beginners guide to AI platforms: explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can support your work, create efficiencies and bring innovation to your business.

  • Entry 3 Essential Digital Skills qualification: develop your digital skills for work and everyday life, with the aim of obtaining the Essential Digital Skills qualification.

  • Generative AI for curious minds: an introduction designed for SMEs with little/no prior experience in generative artificial intelligence (AI).

  • Intro to animation using Photoshop: for those with a basic understanding of Photoshop and an interest in developing their learning with the app further.

  • Photoshop – Introduction: a chance to gain understanding of Photoshop. The essential features that you'll require.

  • Photoshop for artists and designers: transform drawings and artwork into digital design.

• Morley College:

  • Digital Skills: identify different parts of a PC, set up an internet email account, perform internet searches, create and save documents using MS Word, using devices and handling information, being responsible and staying safe online, including social media, creating and editing documents.

  • Pearson HTQ M module in Business Information Technology Systems, Data Analytics: this module provides students with an opportunity to upskill in topics of interest as part of their career development.

• South Thames Colleges Group:

  • Digital skills and business administration course in Tooting: this free course boosts your confidence in computer use and admin skills, leading to a Level 1 digital skills qualification.

  • Level 1 course in digital technology and business at Merton College: this year-long course introduces business and IT, offering two qualifications.

• Westminster Adult Education Service (WAES):

  • Digital and computing skills: courses related to digital and computing skills intended to help ease skills shortages in Greater London.

• WM College:

  • Microsoft Excel intermediate: master advanced features like charts, logical functions and data analysis to enhance productivity.

  • Using AI – ChatGPT and internet safety – intermediate: boost your business with AI tools like ChatGPT while learning to stay safe online.

Marketing

Being strong at marketing means you can more effectively promote your products or services, reach a wider audience through social media and digital advertising, build a business website and much more.

• Capital City College Group (CCCG):

  • Creative Skills Academy: give the industry the skilled people they need to help their businesses grow.

• Morley College:

  • Level 2 Certificate in Photography: get an introduction to camera skills and learn how to take impactful photographs for your business marketing. This course has a payable fee.

• Westminster Adult Education Service (WAES):

  • Graphic design skills: courses related to graphic design skills intended to help ease skills shortages in Greater London.

Leadership, management and business

Effective leadership and management skills help with guiding and motivating employees, making strategic decisions, solving problems and making sure the business runs efficiently.

• Capel Manor College:

  • Diploma in business (level 2): this course provides you with the necessary key skills and knowledge required in accountancy and business.

  • Certificate in create a business startup (level 2): this course will give you an understanding of a business startup's initial processes and requirements.

• London South Bank University:

  • UKSPF Business Innovation Growth (BIG) programme: this programme is fully funded for south London businesses to develop new products, services and processes.

• Mary Ward Centre:

  • Introduction to selling your product online: discover the steps to successfully sell your products online.

• Morley College:

  • Business Administration Level 2: learn important business skills, including how to produce documents, develop relationships with clients and manage and organise information. There is a fee to study this qualification.

  • HND in Leadership and Management for England: a paid qualification that teaches you the basic concepts of leadership and management and a range of key business skills.

  • Accounting and project management L4: this module is fully funded and comprises two units each from the Pearson HND in leadership and management.

  • Strategy, communications and relationship management: this module provides students with an opportunity to upskill in topics of interest as part of their career development.

  • Human resources and management: this module is fully funded and comprises two units each from the Pearson HND in leadership and management.

• South Thames Colleges Group:

  • Level 3 Business and Administration Apprenticeship: gain valuable and transferable workplace skills and experience while earning a salary, on this two-year paid course.

  • Startup skills: boost your chances for success with our free short course, designed to enhance your business startup skills.

• Visionnaires:

  • Start your own business: this course will give you the practical tools to start and grow a successful business.

• Wandsworth Lifelong Learning:

  • Business Administration BTEC Level 1 Award: this accredited course will teach you the skills that employers are looking for.

  • Introduction to Project Management: learn the fundamentals of project management and gain understanding of its principles and methodologies.

  • Level 2 Certificate in Team Leading principles: check out this supervisor course if you want to sharpen your team leading skills.

• WEA (Workers Educational Association)

  • Start your own small business: learn the essentials of starting a small business with our start your own small business course.  

Language and communication

Learn the crucial skills you need to communicate effectively with customers, suppliers and employees, build strong working relationships and convey your vision and values in a compelling way.

• City Lit Institute:

  • English language skills: a free course to help improve your English reading and writing skills, with support from qualified, experienced tutors.

  • ESOL: Improve your English language skills: develop the most in-demand common skills for work, such as problem-solving, decision-making and collaborating. Free to most learners.

• Mary Ward Centre:

  • English Functional Skills E1-E2: for beginners with low reading and writing levels, you'll learn to read short texts and improve spelling.

• Morley College:

  • English: a beginner course designed to help you improve your grammar, reading and writing and develop English-language skills commonly used in business.

  • ESOL: learn how to use appropriate language for given tasks, structure text logically and use grammar, punctuation and spelling correctly.

• South Thames Colleges Group:

  • 19+ ESOL Adults English Language Skills: improve your reading, writing, listening and speaking skills and boost your employability. There is a fee for this course.

• WM College:

  • Functional skills and GCSEs in English and maths: courses to help you improve your English and Maths for your day-to-day life or to gain a qualification.

Health

• London South East Colleges (LSEC):

  • Understanding Nutrition and Health – Certificate: this qualification provides a comprehensive understanding of the key topics surrounding nutrition and health.

Maths and numeracy

Having strong maths and numeracy skills can help you in life and especially business. You're better able to make sound financial decisions, manage stock levels and forecast growth.

• City Lit Institute:

  • Maths: work with qualified and experienced maths tutors to develop your skills in problem-solving, analysing and decision-making.

• Morley College:

  • Maths: a free beginner course designed to give you a comprehensive introduction to maths and help you apply those skills in business.

• WEA (Workers Educational Association):

  • Multiply: Get ready for functional skills exams: gain numeracy skills for learning, life and work. This multiply course helps you learn maths as an adult.  

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Hospitality

• Hospitality supervision & leadership principles Level 3 Award: this course is designed for ambitious professionals who are already working in hospitality or about to start.

Social care

• London South East Colleges (LSEC):

  • Preparing to work in adult social care: preparing you for adult social care, to ensure the needs of vulnerable people are met.

Sustainability

A good knowledge of sustainability can help you save money in the long run. Learn how to put in place sustainable practices to make your business more energy efficient, reduce waste and lower your impact on the environment.

• Capital City College Group (CCCG):

  • Green Skills Academy: free training opportunities and support packages to help Londoners to get a job in green roles.

• New City College:

  • Air Source Heat Pump Systems (ASHP): a course specifically aimed at giving fossil fuel plumbing and heating engineers the training and skills they need to install heat pumps.

  • Electrical Energy Storage Systems: training for practising electricians, electrical technicians and engineers with experience in electrical installations.

  • Solar Photovoltaic (PV): this training course enables delegates to meet the requirements of the National Occupational Standards Environmental Technologies Units.

• South Thames Colleges Group:

  • Net Zero Training Hub: paid courses designed to develop workforces with the skills to help businesses meet important emissions targets.

• Westminster Adult Education Service (WAES):

  • Green skills: WAES offers a range of courses related to green skills, intended to help ease skills shortages in this key sector for Greater London.

Accounting and finance

• WM College:

  • Excel for Accounting and bookkeeping: advance your Excel skills for accounting and bookkeeping with this intermediate course.  

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