Ever thought about entering your business for an award? Winning or even being nominated for an award can increase your exposure, raise your profile, provide business to business and networking opportunities, allow you to benchmark your business against others, help you stand out from the crowd, to name but a few, and they are free to enter. They can also help to put our fantastic district on the map and showcase the innovation, entrepreneurialism and resilience that exists within the district. Read about our fabulous local businesses who have recently won or been nominated for an award

• BIBAs (Be Inspired Business Awards) celebrating the best of Lancashire

Entries will open in January 2024.

The BIBAs are a celebration of some of the most exciting companies and entrepreneurs based in Lancashire, showcasing their success stories and highlighting Lancashire’s position as a world-class business community.

The BIBAs are Lancashire’s most prestigious and longest running business awards programme and run by the North & Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce.

• Enterprise Vision Awards – The UK’s largest business awards dedicated solely to women

#EVAS2024 Entries will open on Friday 8 March 2024

The EVAS recognise the successes and achievements of outstanding female entrepreneurs. 

• Red Rose Awards hosted by Lancashire Business View. 

Entries for the Red Rose Awards 2024 are now open! The closing date is Friday 8 December 2023.

Lancashire Skills & Employment Hub is offering a new range of Skills Bootcamps to residents of Lancaster, Morecambe, and the wider county.

Skills Bootcamps are short, intensive courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the sector-specific skills to realise their potential in a new or existing career.  Training is delivered at levels 3-to-5 (equivalent of between A-Level and Diploma). Unemployed and career-switching learners are offered a guaranteed interview with a local employer upon completion.

Skills Bootcamps topics include Advanced Manufacturing, Digital (including coding, data analytics, cyber security), Green Skills (including EV maintenance, Green Power and Nuclear), Defence, Care Management, Construction, Pharmacy Working and HGV.

These Skills Bootcamps are available to residents of Lancashire who meet eligibility certain residency, age, and work eligibility criteria.  The courses are fully funded for independent learners, requiring only a small employer contribution for staff upskilling.

Find out more

Lancaster & Morecambe College are running fully funded training sessions to support businesses.

These courses are designed to help upskill your workforce and increase their knowledge to support your business.

Courses include:

• Aspiring Leaders Programme 
• CMI Leadership & Management Training Level 3 & 5
• Sustainability Workshops
• Training & Development Workshops
• Health & Safety Workshops
• Food Safety & Food Allergen Awareness

Find out more

Help to Grow: Management

 A 12 week-programme delivered by Lancaster University Management School and accredited by the Small Business Charter. The programme combines a practical curriculum, with 1:1 support from a business mentor, peer-learning sessions and an alumni network.

Designed to be manageable alongside full-time work, this programme will support you to develop your strategic skills with key modules covering financial management, innovation and digital adoption. By the end of the programme you will develop a tailored business growth plan to lead your business to its full potential.

Find out more

Support is available through the Multiply Fund, through various education and training providers. This includes general maths, finance for non-finance people, budgeting, saving, using excel and managing money. Support is available for businesses and employees as well as the general public.

Contact the Business Support Team for more information.

The UK Export Academy has many events running throughout the year that are tailored to your business needs, including masterclasses on exhibition skills, international marketing, finance for exporters, sector events, market events and more. 

See all forthcoming events and register

Lancashire Adult Learning

Lancashire Adult Learning are the second largest provider of adult education in the country, offering training and education over a range of curriculums to adults aged 19+ across Lancashire. Many courses are free for learners. We work with over 200 partners across the county to take learning into the communities where it is needed most.

Courses range from non-accredited community learning to fully accredited qualifications, running online or face-to-face depending on your need. The curriculums we offer include:

• Employability
• Multiply 
• Health & Social Care
• Maths, English and ESOL
• ICT and Digital Skills
• Health & Wellbeing
• Horticulture
• Family Learning 
• Volunteer Training
• Arts, Humanities, Languages
• Environmental Sustainability

Find out more