Skills

Investing in the future

At South Thames College we know that getting the best from your workforce is not only essential, but a long-term investment.

In this post-Brexit era, this need has never been more so with a greater urgency for employers to undertake strategic workforce planning that will help identify the skills and knowledge required now and for the future, which in turn will help to determine the learning and focus of training and development required.

We therefore have in place an experienced workforce training and development team who work with employers to meet the needs of their organisation whether they are independent traders or national corporations.

We have been responding to business employment and training needs for over a decade and provide a range of funded, flexible and bespoke training services to upskill the workforce across south London and beyond.

We support employers by: • Providing flexible work-related training for your organisation or staff • Assisting in the design and delivery of courses tailored to your business • Setting up Sector Work Based Academies to aid with trained recruitment • Identifying funding and opportunities to minimise or eliminate costs

If you are looking to improve your employees’ skills, South Thames College can help. Our Workforce Training and Development team can tailor a range of courses designed to upskill your organisation; from Apprenticeships to NVQs to Short Courses and Sector Work Based Academies, which aim to meet your recruitment needs

Our work-based qualifications are open to anyone who is 19+ and has been living in UK or EU for 3 years and include: • Cleaning Services and Practical Cleaning Awards • Facilities Services • Food and Beverage Services and Professional Cookery • Health and Social Care • Dental Nursing • Retail • Customer Services • Equality and Diversity and Safeguarding

Contact us to access our expert knowledge on specific skills training and to find out what government funding is available.

Joanne Tinnion, Head of Workforce Training & Development collecting the Eric Hill Award from the Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners at Armourers’ Hall.

South Thames College was recently recognised by the Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners Guild for the impact on the cleaning industry and on its ‘invisible workforce’, empowering leaners to progress in this field to management positions or company owners.

The College was delighted to receive the Eric Hill memorial award which is given in conjunction with City & Guilds London who nominated the College due to high success rates and positive feedback from learners during External Verification visits.

To find out more about how you can work with South Thames College, help students fulfil their career aims, find employees of the future and benefit from the College’s Employer Advantage Scheme contact: Chris Dodd, Employability Manager, South Thames College, Wandsworth High Street, SW18 2PP

Susan Beverly, Partner

To be eligible, you need to be a limited company (R&D Tax Relief is paid through the Corporation Tax System), but it doesn’t matter how big or small your business is. SMEs can recover up to 33p in every £1 spent on innovation which can be withdrawn or invested back into the business. Big companies can claim and benefit too (although it will be at a lower rate). Put simply; if your company undertakes R&D which demonstrates technological advances or appreciable improvement and new capabilities within your particular industry or sector, then you could qualify. Innovation does not refer only to new products or ideas but can apply to new ways of doing things, such as altering

Could your Business be eligible for R&D Tax Relief?

The Research and Development (R&D) Tax Relief Scheme is an HMRC incentive designed to encourage innovation and increased spending on Research and Development activities by companies operating in the UK.

business models to better suit the needs of customers and staff or adapting processes to improve the end product or service. You’d be surprised to learn what qualifies for R&D Tax Relief. These days you don’t have to be wearing a white coat to be actively working on R&D. There are of course the obvious ones such as manufacturing, professional, scientific and technical, information and communication. But did you also know that bakers, chefs, marketing and media, leisure, architects and retail businesses could also be eligible to claim. But event failed innovations can bring rewards that can benefit your bottom line, providing extra capital that can be reinvested to fuel further business development. In the event that you haven’t yet investigated whether you might be eligible for R&D Tax Relief, you could be passing up a great opportunity, particularly when you consider that many claimants receive more than £50,000 a year in the form of a cash repayment and/or a Corporation Tax reduction. This could mean a financial windfall to support new business ventures, further equipment or the chance to employ more skilled staff, this can help transform a start-up business. At Kirk Rice we can help you explore whether your business is or has been investing in qualifying R&D activity and help you to prepare and submit your R&D Tax Relief claim. Give us a call to arrange a free consultation.

Our business is understanding yours

At Kirk Rice we take time to understand you and your business so we can help you grow. With over 30 years experience working with large and small companies our team is here to guide you and your company to a successful future.

13 Princeton Court, 53 to 55 Felsham Road, Putney London, SW15 1AZ 0208 789 8588 | info@kirkrice.co.uk www.kirkrice.co.uk