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The University of Bolton in partnership with five other North West Universities (Lancaster, Salford, Cumbria, Chester and Central Lancashire) has secured funding through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to provide business support to North West SMEs.
This project, ‘Unite with Business' provides an injection of expertise by providing businesses with additional skills to achieve business projects through the use of graduates.
Project Outline:
This project will run from January 2010 until December 2012.
The project will help local SMEs (small to medium sized enterprise - a company employing 250 people or less) to develop and grow their businesses through an agreed business/project assist.
Some examples of business/project assists could include:
- contributing to the development of the company's website
- helping the company to refine its marketing strategy
- undertaking product or process design and development work
- market research and database development
The project will provide 150 hours of fully funded support from the University at no cost to the SME.
Support to business is delivered through the use of graduates who are sourced by the project to address short term business needs. Graduates possess a range of skills, knowledge and abilities that can be used to good effect to address a business need. The costs of the first 150 hours of graduate support to the SME met by the Unite with Business programme. Support lasting longer than 150 hours and lasting up to 450 hours can be agreed, providing the SME is prepared to pay the agreed graduate salary ( presently £6.00 per hour - not inclusive of employer's NI contributions).
Project staff will advise on eligibility criteria and will agree and help to define the nature and type of support required by the business.
The SME will be required to complete a SME registration form along with a project brief and estimated times to achieve the required outcomes. This will assist the University in identifying the most appropriate course of action to successfully achieve these outcomes.
To find out more on how this project can assist your business contact:
Project Manager - Dr Phil Lawton
Direct Line 01204 903430
Mobile 07711 113255;
Email: pjl1@bolton.ac.uk
Business Advisor - Claire Pattison
Direct Line 01204 903516
Email: c.pattison@bolton.ac.uk