Ilkley Business Improvement District (BID) has partnered with Virtual College to give more than 300 levy-paying businesses access to over 50 online training courses free of charge.
The initiative means every member of staff working within an Ilkley BID business can access high-quality online training designed to develop skills, improve compliance and support professional development, while potentially saving businesses thousands of pounds in external training costs.
Virtual College is one of the UK's leading providers of online compliance and professional development training. Through the partnership, businesses will have unlimited access to its extensive course library, including:
- Food and Drink, including Level 1 Food Safety and Hygiene
- Business Compliance, including GDPR and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
- Health and Safety, with RoSPA-assured courses
- Leadership and Management
- Personal and Professional Development
Access is quick and straightforward, allowing businesses to register and begin learning on the same day and every course includes a CPD-accredited certificate on completion.
Sarah Brookfield-Almond, Ilkley BID Manager, said:
"Ilkley BID is delighted to be working with Virtual College to offer such a wide range of easily accessible training courses to our members. In these economically challenging times, enhancing the benefits of BID membership in this way will save businesses both time and money.
"We are always looking for ways to support our local businesses, and this initiative is another example of how we are delivering practical benefits that help businesses thrive."
Jamie Ashforth, Director of Business and Strategy at Virtual College, said:
"Ilkley is where we started, so supporting the businesses on our own high street has always mattered to us beyond the usual customer relationship.
"The pressures on small businesses haven't gone away, they've just changed shape. Every levy-paying business in Ilkley, whatever its size, can give its staff access to the same quality of compliance and development training as a large national employer, without the cost or the admin. We're glad to keep that door open for the town."
Each Ilkley BID levy-paying business has direct access to the Virtual College training platform, enabling staff to register and start learning straight away.
Courses can be completed at a time that suits the individual, with a CPD-accredited certificate awarded on successful completion.
For more information, contact Ilkley BID at: info@ilkleybid.co.uk
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