Stirling Businesses Back Go Forth Stirling BID’S Online Training Courses

A training platform giving workforces the chance to learn new skills during the coronavirus pandemic has proved popular with Stirling’s business community.

More than 200 people have signed up to the free online training platform set up by Go Forth Stirling, which runs the city’s Business Improvement District, since it launched in April. The programme, which offers two new courses each month, has been praised by Stirling’s business owners.

Stacey Mackrell runs Beau Boutique Beauty Salon in Baker Street. She said: “The Go Forth online training platform has been a godsend to me and my business during the COVID-19 pandemic – not only has it kept me occupied, it has helped me gain new skills. Go Forth has been a huge help to my business time and time again and they really have outdone themselves during this scary time for small businesses like mine.”

John Stirrat, General Manager at Hotel Colessio in Spittal Street, has been taking part in the courses and plans to register his staff for training once he has completed them. He said: “I’ve been working through the free training modules and must say I’m impressed with the great quality training which is easy to navigate.”

The courses – which are available via the Go Forth Stirling website and provided by training partner Navitas Academy – have so far covered Coronavirus Awareness, Mental Health Awareness, Allergen Awareness and Fire Safety.

Participants can now sign up for the two new June courses which are an Introduction to HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) and Bullying and Harassment. The HACCP course offers a systematic approach to examining all aspects of a business’ operations and identifying parts of the process where problems may occur if appropriate controls are not maintained. It looks at the regulations which cover HACCP, what the four types of hazard are as well as the seven principles of HACCP during the course which consists of four training pods.

The Bullying and Harassment programme looks at situations which may see workers exposed to unwanted treatment in the form of bullying or harassment. The short course, containing six pods, will advise on what to do if bullying occurs, how to prevent it and the legal implications. Details of all the courses, which run until the end of September, can be accessed here and businesses can register by emailing admin@goforthstirling.co.uk.

Businesses can also register for a guidance webinar on how to reopen safely which is taking place at 10am next Tuesday June 9. The webinar gives business owners the chance to hear from environmental health experts and get advice on how to ensure safety when reopening, recommended PPE and what risk assessments to complete. You can register here.

The team at Go Forth Stirling are pleased with the uptake of their online courses – 182 people enrolled for the May courses while a total of 239 have taken part in training overall since the platform was launched.

Go Forth’s Project Director Danielle McRorie-Smith said: “We’re delighted to see how interest in the courses has skyrocketed in the past month and are pleased to have businesses from many different sectors involved. The training platform is an important initiative which provides a practical means of supporting Stirling’s business community during this testing time. The courses offer an opportunity for ongoing training at a time when many businesses have been forced to close their doors and staff who have been placed on furlough are allowed to take part.”

The online training initiative is funded in association with the Covid-19 BIDs Resilience Fund which was announced by Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell in March. The £1 million funding package aims to help Scotland’s 37 active BIDs play a vital role in supporting local businesses and town centres during the crisis.

The Go Forth courses are free to all businesses in Stirling – not just levy payers or those in the BID zone.

And once a business owner has set up their login details on the Go Forth portal, they are automatically enrolled for the whole programme and will be able to access each new course as soon as it is released on the 1st of each month.