Supporting our small business community:
As the Growth Hub for Oxfordshire, we manage two programmes: the eScalate Programme, which supports Oxfordshire’s small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) that are scale-ups or have scale-up potential, and socially minded enterprises, and Innovation Support for Business which helps SMEs to bring new ideas to market. Both programmes are funded by the European Regional Development Fund, the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and OxLEP.
Watch our film showcasing our OxLEP Business SME Marketplace 2019 to find out more about our programmes and their products.
View all our case studies here
Bringing employers and education together
OxLEP Skills works to bring the worlds of education and employment together, to ensure that Oxfordshire's next generation is equipped with the skills that they need to thrive- with specialist teams working across key areas such as apprenticeships and work experience.
OxLEP Skills case studies:
Usaamah is an Engineering Technician Apprentice at MINI Plant Oxford, and is passionate about his role which gives him both industry-relevant paid work experience in a 'hands-on' environment, whilst completing a degree funded by the organisation:
Katie Harvey is an Apprentice Electrician with Darke&Taylor, completing an NVQ Level 3 qualification, whilst earning a wage out on the job with experienced colleagues:
Leona is one of our own apprentices, completing a Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship in PR and Communications, having left university to pursue such a role:
Careers Fest 2019 took place on Tuesday 22 January at MINI Plant Oxford, with over 60 businesses engaging around 1,500 of Oxfordshire's young people in conversation on their future careers and skills. Watch our film on the event, explaining why facilitating conversation between businesses and young people is so important.
Q&A debate:
So that we continue to engage our diverse business community, we hold regular Q&A events right across Oxfordshire. Each event sees a focus on one of our priority areas (either People, Place, Enterprise or Connectivity), with discussion and debate from high-profile panellists.
Take a look at our Enterprise Q&A event: ‘How can Oxfordshire businesses make an impact – nationally and internationally – by embracing innovation', held at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford:
More case studies coming soon!
