Digital Skills Support for Businesses and Charities
There is a variety of webinars, online skills training and self-help guides available to help with some of the new skills we now need whilst working from home.
Interested in AI?
| AI Skills Hub – AI Skills Boost
AI Skills Boost is a free training offer, built by leading industry partners and backed by Skills England and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Courses take anywhere from 20 minutes to a day, fit around working life, and teach practical skills you can use straight away – whatever your role or technical background. Google AI Learning Want to learn about AI? Start with the free Elements of AI course to understand what AI is, what it can do and how it is changing the world. You can then explore more free learning through Google’s AI Essentials Certificate and Google Cloud Skills Boost courses. Microsoft Copilot and AI Learning Learn how to use AI to save time, work more efficiently and create better content with Microsoft’s free learning resources. If you’re interested in AI beyond Copilot, explore Azure AI Fundamentals or browse the wide range of free courses available on Microsoft Learn. Microsoft Sector Specific AI Training |
Digital Boost
Digital Boost is a free business support community that connects small businesses, charities, social enterprises, schools, and start-ups with experienced volunteer mentors, practical learning opportunities, and expert guidance to help them grow, adopt digital technology, and build confidence.
Webinars and Regular Events
Boost – Lancashire’s Growth Hub for Business
Boost have a range of training available for Businesses of all types – you can browse their full events page to see them all.
Google Digital Garage
Google have put together a number of live webinars and some face to face training that fall in to two categories: Grow My Career and Grow My Business – covering a range of topics, for example: digital marketing and social media strategy.
Lloyds Bank Academy
Alongside the free resources available at the Lloyds Business Hub and Lloyds Bank Academy are hosting some online and interactive sessions where you will hear from experts, pick up key tips and tricks and have time to do some virtual networking: Webinars for Businesses
Free Courses to Develop Digital and Technical Skills
Enterprise Nation
Enterprise Nation’s digital resources offer practical guides, expert advice, and tool recommendations to help small businesses improve digital skills, adopt technology, enhance productivity, strengthen marketing, and drive growth.
Microsoft Excel Training
Microsoft offer a number of pre-recorded videos to understand the Excel tool which can be found here. You can choose from topics: Get Started, Collaborate, Formula and Functions, Import and Analyse, Format Data and Troubleshoot.
Barclays Digital Wings has some basic to advanced Microsoft Excel Training – check it out here. The Learn My Way platform also has online training for working with Office programmes including spreadsheets which you can access once you register for an account.
There is also lots of free Microsoft 365 training devised by Microsoft – have a look here.
Learn My Way
Learn My Way from The Good Things Foundation has courses on Google, Outlook, Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and productivity tools.
Lloyds Academy
The Lloyds Academy has wide array of training available for businesses to “unlock the business benefits of digital”. Categories of training include:
- Design a sustainable and customer focused strategy
- Become a more effective leader
- Design your website and digital channels
- Tell you story online
- Manage your business finances
- Keep your business safe and secure
- Work and collaborate productively
- Product development and sales
- Become a more effective leader
- How your business can grow with e-commerce