North Essex Economic Board

The North Essex Economic Board is a partnership of local authorities in the area working together to drive economic growth. The partners are: Braintree, Maldon, Tendring and Uttlesford district councils, Colchester Borough Council, Chelmsford City Council and Essex County Council.

Each has committed funding specifically to support recovery from Covid-19, and projects include programmes to boost apprenticeships and job fairs.

Longer-term the North Essex Economic Board is committed to promoting wider economic growth and investment across the geography.

The North Essex Economic Board is proud to have been highly commended at the Government Opportunities (GO) UK National Excellence in Public Procurement Awards 2022, having been shortlisted in the Covid-19 Response and Recovery Award (Local Government) category for its work in procuring business and skills support programmes to help recovery from the pandemic.

Business Support

A series of fully-funded business support packages has now gone live, offering training and advice to firms within North Essex on a whole range of topics from building your start-up and finance to digital skills and import/export support. This help runs through-out this year.

To access support on:

Start-up support; 

• A comprehensive course for those starting up or developing a new business, taking you through the process of setting up and structuring your business.

Introduction to finance;

• Helping you to understand the fundamentals of finance and tax within your business.

Import and export support;

• Training for companies looking to start importing/exporting, or those already in the industry and would like to enhance their skills.

Digital skills and cyber security;

• Digital skills – online sessions covering social media, project management, online sales, and your website.
• Cyber security – an online session helping to protect you and your business from cyber threats and online fraud.

Transitioning to low carbon; 

• Providing support to businesses to become carbon neutral and reduce their impact on the environment.

Visit the Colbea website , email enquiries@colbea.co.uk, or call 01206 548833.

For support on finance and debt management go to the Let's Do Business Group website: https://backingessexbusiness.co.uk/financial-support-for-north-essex-businesses

Skills support

A number of programmes have been funded to help local residents improve their skills, helping them to find work or change career:

Shaw Trust - is working with residents recently unemployed or redundant due to Covid-19 to complete training and placements in businesses across a number of key sectors. This will give them the new or updated skills to help them back into work. Key sectors include construction, health and social care, logistics and manufacturing, customer services and digital skills. Find out more at https://www.ixionholdings.com/skills-path/

We Are Digital - Inclusion training aimed at those with little or no IT skills, teaching them computer literacy and how to connect with the online world. The programme also includes providing them with a tablet and data connection. To find out more call 0114 551 2551 or email NEEB@Braintree.gov.uk for a referral.

Tech Talent - Certified courses in IT qualifications and apprenticeships from the Tech Talent Academy will upskill those with an existing basic knowledge of IT and support them into entry-level jobs within the industry. The programme will include software, data, cloud and cyber skills. To find out more visit www.techtalent.co.uk.