More than 250 Ipswich small businesses are better equipped for success after taking advantage of a series of low-cost Small Business Education Programs.
The programs were developed by Ipswich City Council and are presented by business experts to empower local small businesses.
To date the workshops have been held at Springfield, Rosewood and Ipswich Central to boost business capability and provide skills, knowledge, and resources to help small businesses grow, with 80 percent of the facilitators being local business owners and advisors.
Economic and Industry Development Committee Chair Deputy Mayor Nicole Jonic said building the capability of local small businesses is an important way to drive business confidence and create more jobs.
“In 2020, our small businesses told us financial support and upskilling support is a must,” Cr Jonic said.
“That is why we have developed the Small Business Education Programs which have been curated in response to local needs and capability gaps, informed by local businesses themselves and the region’s chambers of commerce.
“Building local business capability and creating more local jobs is council’s key priority and nurturing local small businesses is one way we can ensure our community continues to grow and prosper now and into the future.”
Topics covered in the small business education program included modern marketing, financial management and how to submit winning tenders and grant submissions.
The program builds on council’s strong support of local small businesses and in the 2020-21 financial year council provided direct financial and upskilling support as part of the COVID-19 Recovery Small Business Funding Program, which saw council provide up to $2,000 to each successful local small business applicant from a pool of $275,000.
This is in addition to council’s Buy Ipswich approach which continues to deliver significant support to Ipswich businesses, with $54 million spent with local suppliers with a head or branch office in the Ipswich in past financial year.
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