SMALL and medium sized businesses could get free training for their workforce at a county college.

Skills Support for the Workforce is a new initiative being offered by South Worcestershire College.

Through the programme the college can offer fully-funded training to local businesses, providing qualifications to support the up-skilling of people to improve their career opportunities, and their existing skills and knowledge through work-based learning.

Katy Gasparovicova, technical manager at Walsh Mushrooms, based at Vale Park, said they were happy to take up the initiative.

"We are able to offer personal development training to our staff which is a bonus to both our employees and ourselves as the employer," she said.

The programme is funded by the European Social Fund, co-financed by the Skills Funding Agency and delivered under Worcestershire Business Central and funding is available to provide bespoke training until the end of March.

For more information contact Claire Adlam on 01386 712714 or email cadlam@sworcs.ac.uk.