The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has launched its new course aimed at helping small businesses grow, ‘Help to Grow: Management Essentials’, yesterday (24 April).

Shorter alternative

The new course is partially based on the existing ‘Help to Grow: Management’, which runs for 12 weeks. It’s aimed at the leaders of smaller businesses, DBT explains, as well as of those just starting out. Although condensed, it still provides “practical advice and resources”, and is free to undertake. The course will “support SME leaders to establish their roots as they look ahead to scale up and grow their business”.

It comes as part of what the government has dubbed the ‘Year of the SME’, featuring new resources and support for small businesses, which has included measures such as the launch of the Investing in Women Taskforce.

The course is divided into three modules, DBT notes, which include “short videos and supporting resources covering the essential business concepts required to unlock growth”. It can be accessed through the Help to Grow website.

Assisting SMEs

The new course is the most recent addition to the government’s ‘Help to Grow’ campaign aimed at boosting the performance of the UK’s SMEs. Minister for small business Kevin Hollinrake hailed the addition, stating:

“I’ve met so many business owners who have benefited from Help to Grow: Management, and now with the launch of Help to Grow: Management Essentials even more business people will be able to access the advice and resources they need to scale up and grow.

“2024 is the year of the SME and whether it’s through access to finance, support and advice, or removing barriers to growth: we’re helping them go further than ever before.”

‘Particularly good news’

The national chair of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Martin McTague, said:

“Businesses with fewer than five employees were ineligible for the full Help to Grow course, so this is particularly good news.

“This will better fit with the busy lives of small business owners who struggled with the initial commitment for 12-week intensive learning. It means many more can now access the benefits of Help to Grow and see the benefits of committing to the longer course as follow-up.”

The government notes that SMEs are essential to the UK’s regions, something borne out in research by the Institute of Export and International Trade (IOE&IT).

Social value

Experts at an IOE&IT webinar hosted for last month’s E-Commerce Week described how SMEs offer significant social value by exporting through e-commerce. Josh McWilliams, head of UK exports at eBay, said that “the social value of e-commerce can be split into financial and non-financial aspects”.

“On the non-financial side, at eBay we prioritise a lot around the circular economy – products like refurbished tech and pre-loved fashion – and we do a lot around charity, making it easier to offer charitable donations.

“On the financial sale, the more a seller sells, it translates into more jobs, more financial, economic and also social value.”