Business secretary urges small businesses to get training through Help to Grow

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng visited Brunel University Business School this week to take part in the government’s new executive development program for entrepreneurs and small business leaders.

Called Help to Grow, the management program offers a 12-week executive training course to SME leaders delivered by UK business schools, including the universities of Aston, Portsmouth, Derby, Nottingham, and Birmingham City and accredited by the Small Business Charter.

It’s designed to be manageable alongside full-time work, and covers modules such as financial management, innovation and digital adoption. By the end of the program, participants are led through the development of a tailored business growth plan.

Mr Kwarteng commented that the scheme had been devised to equip business leaders with the tools to take their business to the next level in order to help the UK build back from the pandemic.

“UK businesses are global leaders in creativity and innovation, and government is here to support SMEs to seize every opportunity to grow,” Mr Kwarteng said.

Finance Minister Rishi Sunak also attended one of the program’s management lessons at Aston Business School on 3 August to mark its launch.

Dean of Brunel Business School Professor Jane Hendy said the school was glad to be able to use their expertise to help small businesses boost their performance, resilience and long-term growth

“This programme drew on ground-breaking business theory and cutting-edge business know-how to enable CEOs, directors and managers in SMEs to develop their business for growth,” she said.

A total of 30,000 places are available to business over three years. The program is 90 per cent subsidised by the government, costing businesses £750.