Two Welsh Assembly Government programmes have been set up to financially aid businesses and employees through the economic downturn through upskilling and retraining workforces.
ProAct
ProAct is a financial support package designed to help viable businesses cope with the downturn and use quiet periods to upskill staff in preparation for the upturn's arrival. It provides additional training for employees who are on short-term working. It also helps businesses retain skilled staff who may otherwise be made redundant.
ProAct is only available to businesses who have introduced short-time working and face the threat of redundancies. It is initially available for 12 months to March 2010.
This programme also includes support for apprentices; helping them to complete their training in cases where employers are struggling to see them through to the end of their training.
For more information and to find out if your are eligible contact the Skills.People.Success team on 0845 60 661 60 or email nicola.durbridge@wales.gsi.gov.uk
ReAct
This programme helps people who have been made redundant in the last six months or who are facing the prospect of losing their job through redundancy. The scheme is a partnership between Careers Wales, Jobcentre Plus and the Welsh Assembly Government.
A training award of up to £2,500 is available to help people get the skills required to successfully land another job. It is possible to either train whilst job hunting, or to go on courses and get the skills needed if you plan to become self-employed.
It also supports those that find work first and need to be retrained “on-the-job” by an employer. ReAct will contribute an amount up to £2,080 towards your wages.
For more information and to find out if you are eligible contact 0800 100 900 or visit www.wales.gov.uk/react
