In summary
With the budget behind us, how are you feeling about your business prospects, we are keen to hear what could investments in skills or infrastructure do to help you?
Do you have a project in mind that would help your local town, village or something that would help unlock opportunities for your business that you are struggling to reach alone?
Keep in touch so that we harness the power of our membership to make change.
Featured news and events
A message from York and North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith
I’d like to wish FSB a happy 50th anniversary. As Mayor of York & North Yorkshire I value the voice of business which the FSB provides, representing a wide range of small businesses and the self-employed. I’m determined to make ours a Mayoral authority which listens and responds carefully to the needs of all local businesses, both directly and through well-established business networks like FSB.
I know from my personal experience running a business just how important our small businesses are. They are at the core of our economy and at the heart of each one of our communities. I will champion small businesses regionally and nationally, developing funds and support to help them thrive. This will be done through regular engagement with businesses to co-design both strategy and delivery.
As we drive investment and growth across York and North Yorkshire in partnership with the business community, our region is in the spotlight and rightly so. It is time to be confident, ambitious, and champion our region’s businesses to help us all reach our full potential. To quote the FSB since 1974, helping you “achieve your ambitions” as small businesses.
Sign up to hear more YNYCA news>
Are you looking for skilled construction workers in the York area?
Or maybe you’re a York-based business looking to upskill your workforce in key construction skills? Construction York may be able to help.
Construction York is a new initiative designed to plug construction skills gaps and boost employment in the region. With York about to embark on several key housing developments, as well as retrofitting work needed to hit carbon reduction targets, there are an increasing number of potential opportunities for skilled construction workers in the local area.
CHY social value consultancy is working in partnership with City of York Council, funded by the UK government, to support York residents in gaining key construction skills via training, work experience and career guidance. We have funding available to support York residents and businesses.
Our aim is to upskill existing workers and bring new talent into the sector so developers can take full advantage of a skilled local workforce. We are already working with a number of training providers, charities, community groups and construction businesses in York to join the dots and get York building – and we’re looking for more. If that’s you, we’d love to chat about how you can get involved.
North Yorkshire Google Digital Garage Events
We are running a high quality "Google Digital Garage" series of training with expert trainers from Google unlocking how to succeed with your digital marketing and to boost your small business, staring on November 20th with a "Boost your productivity" webinar, weekly until December 4th ending with "Grow your business brand" in another virtual session. There will be a further 2 face to face Google events in Ripon and Tadcaster in January featuring 1-2-1 mentoring alongside 4 learning sessions on hot topics from Google to help your business, 9.30am to 2.30pm. You can find more information about the series - which is free to attend for any small business - and other local expert training courses between now and March, run in partnership between FSB and North Yorkshire Council and funded through the UKSPF. Please share this information widely and book your place now, a waiting list will operate in the case of these being oversubscribed - it is a great opportunity to access funded training on your doorstep and online.
In other news
York Internships
York Internships offers an ideal opportunity for businesses to benefit from the skills, enthusiasm, and innovative thinking of University of York students and graduates. Their programme provides access to project-focused internships, lasting 4-12 weeks, that can drive high-quality results in a range of areas including digital transformation, software development, research, data analysis, marketing and more.
Designed with flexibility in mind, these internships can be structured to fit your needs—whether full-time, part-time, hybrid, remote, or on-site. York Internships manages the entire recruitment process, simplifying the path to onboarding talent. They take care of everything, from promoting vacancies and shortlisting applicants to conducting right-to-work checks and handling all contracts. Their streamlined payroll process also means interns are paid directly by the university, so there’s no need to add them to your own payroll.
Working with York Internships allows you to tap into a rich talent pool without the typical administrative workload, giving your business fresh insights and valuable contributions with minimal effort. If you're interested in bringing in talented interns to support your projects, reach out to the team, or complete an Expression of Interest form (available on their website) to start the conversation.
Sector Skills for North Yorkshire
We are pleased to introduce Sector Skills for North Yorkshire, an ongoing initiative designed to boost the region's economy by addressing skill gaps in key industries. Funded by North Yorkshire Council through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, this initiative has been operational for several months and is already making a positive impact on local businesses.
The initiative targets some of North Yorkshire’s most vital industries, including:
- Construction
- Agri-tech
- Health & Social Care
- Manufacturing
- Creative & Digital
- Visitor Economy
By collaborating closely with businesses in these sectors, Sector Skills for North Yorkshire identifies specific skill needs and provides tailored solutions to enhance workforce capabilities.
How They Support Businesses:
- Bespoke Training Courses: Customized to meet the precise needs of your business, ensuring employees gain the necessary skills to excel in their roles.
- Vocational Licenses: Support in securing essential vocational licenses, enabling employees to fulfil specialised roles.
- Part-Funded Training Options: Offering cost-effective training opportunities with partial funding to ease the financial burden on businesses.
- Referral to Existing Programmes: Providing expert guidance on current training and support services that align with your business goals.
Their focus is on upskilling employees, especially those at Level 2 and below, with an emphasis on future-proofing the workforce against evolving industry trends. The initiative's training programmes are aligned with industry standards, ensuring that your team is equipped to meet today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities.
Businesses across North Yorkshire are already benefiting from this funding by enhancing productivity and filling crucial skill gaps. Sector Skills for North Yorkshire offers a valuable resource for training and development.
Still in the news
York Business Festival
York Business School at York St. John University is delighted to announce the inaugural York Business Festival between Monday 25th to Friday 29th November 2024.
The week is designed to support and celebrate businesses of all sizes and sectors across York and North Yorkshire. The festival will showcase our talent at York St John and the support available to local businesses through a series of workshops, seminars, networking events, and discussions aimed at fostering innovation, growth, and collaboration.
The festival covers a wide range of topics, including business development, entrepreneurship, sustainability, digital transformation, marketing, and leadership. FSB are running an event in collaboration with our SuperNetworking partners Crombie Wilkinson and Ian Walkers & co as part of the festival on 28 Nov at 12 noon - book and come along to ask the questions you need answering for your business and do some informal networking.
Growth hub support
The York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub has launched its Autumn 2024 Programme, offering a range of tailored support to businesses across the region. Unveiled at C4DI in Northallerton—a vibrant tech hub—this initiative provides crucial assistance in one-to-one specialist support, peer support, start-up guidance, digital transformation, skills development, and investment readiness. Did you know, you can also access a local business advisor - from start up to business exit - and also sector and skills specialists to help your business 1-2-1 - ask us for an introduction or explore the Growth hub resources on their page, starting with the current programmes listings.
More news and activity near you
- North East
- South and East Yorkshire and the Humber
- West Yorkshire
- More from FSB Yorkshire, the Humber and the North East
Get in touch
Your FSB Development Manager for North Yorkshire is Carolyn Frank. If you'd like more information about the topics above, or if you have news about this area that you'd like to share, please get in touch.
- email us: [email protected]
- follow us on X: @FSBNorthYorks
- follow us on Facebook: @FSB.North.Yorkshire
- join me on LinkedIn: @Carolyn.Frank