Oxford Brookes University offers fully funded training and support for local business leaders

The Help to Grow: Management course at Oxford Brookes Business School is designed to fit alongside work commitments, and is a 12-week programme combining a practical curriculum with one-to-one support from a leading business mentor and alumni networking sessions.

Professor Tim Vorley, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Oxford Brookes Business School, said: “We are thrilled to offer the Help to Grow: Management course on a fully funded basis. It has already had a demonstrable and positive impact on Oxfordshire businesses and we’d like to see even more small and medium sized businesses benefiting from the programme. Help to Grow: Management is one of many ways we are working with local businesses to improve their resilience and help them grow, and I’d encourage local business leaders to contact us to find out more.”

The Help to Grow: Management Programme is valued at £7,500 per person, with 90% funded by the Government. For a limited time period, the remaining 10% will be  funded by the University’s Business Support Fund. The next programme begins in February 2023. 

What can business leaders expect from Help To Grow: Management?

The programme offers participants 50 hours of support over 12 weeks. There are eight facilitated online sessions and four workshops delivered in-person on Oxford Brookes’ Headington Campus. These workshops are longer, more in-depth taught sessions delivered by small business and enterprise experts from Oxford Brookes Business School and supported by leading figures from industry and experienced entrepreneurs.

After each taught session, participants will meet in smaller groups of five for peer network sessions, which will enable them to review and reflect together.  

Each course attendee will also be paired up with a mentor who will facilitate one-to-one online weekly  sessions, with the end goal of producing a growth plan that they can take away and implement in their company. 

Earlier this month, Oxford Brookes hosted an event at the University’s Headington Campus to celebrate one year of the Help To Grow:Management programme, bringing together more than 100 SME leaders who have completed the course.

James Hakelsey, CEO and Co-Founder of CUBE, a video production agency, completed the Help To Grow programme last year.

James said: “I would definitely recommend the Oxford Brookes Business School Help To Grow programme. I think for me, it’s really helped us open up our eyes and broaden our horizons within our business but also build great foundations for the business as we grow.”

Anyone interested in the programme can find out more information and register by visiting the Help to Grow web page.