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South of Scotland Business SolutionsAn Overview

Carol Turnbull

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Some Facts

• 7 FE/HE partners

• 600 companies engaged across the South of Scotland

• 230 SME’s supported with:

– Introduction of new marketing products and services

– Adoption of new processes and production practices

• Instrumental in creating 12 new jobs within local businesses

• Assisted businesses to apply effective skills in the workplace

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Key Features

• Project flexibility allowed:Academic partners to be responsiveA business-led approach to be adopted

• Different style of learning Transfer of Knowledge, skills & expertise

• Role of Business Liaison Officers as facilitators and enablers key to success

• Listening to the needs of the business• Translating these into specific business issues• Matching the business with the appropriate technical or

academic expertise• Managing the business/academic relationship

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Quotes

• “The advice and technical support was crucial to the development of design prototypes, which in turn enabled the company to move forward to the next phase of this project.”

• “The support and advice we received from South of Scotland Business Solutions has enabled us to focus on developing our business by up skilling our workforce and releasing partners to concentrate on securing new markets.”

• “I’d say the biggest difference I found in a very short space of time was in the staff; they immediately approached customers with more confidence and professionalism and customers noticed and commented on it straight away. I also thought that you being able to visit the premises rather than doing a course in a classroom setting made the situation more real and beneficial.”