Birmingham City University is to deliver a 12-week programme to support senior managers of small and medium sized businesses in boosting their business performance, resilience and long-term growth.

The ‘Help to Grow’ course is 90 per cent funded by the Government and has been designed to allow participants to complete it alongside full-time work. According to recent data published by the British Chamber of Commerce, in which more than 1,000 firms were surveyed, 63 per cent of SMEs said they were emerging from lockdown with either concrete plans or intentions to grow their business over the next 12 months.

Mark Gilman, Professor of SME Growth and Development at Birmingham City University, said: “The pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges for businesses, particularly SMEs, and it is vital that these organisations get the support they need to bounce back and make sure our region thrives beyond the pandemic.”

The Birmingham City University programme will include both online and face-to-face sessions and will allow business owners to develop capabilities in leadership, innovation, marketing and employee engagement. Course participants will also receive one-to-one support from a mentor, providing personalised support to develop business growth plans.