Training & Events

Training can really help your business function well and evolve with customer expectations and new technologies. We aim to improve the visitor experience by regularly providing new information and signposting training and businesses skills to tourism businesses in Dorset.

There are a wide range of courses and training opportunities available both in Dorset and online, which can provide you and your team with a range of additional skills or recognised awards within the tourism industry.

We actively encourage event providers to submit training, networking, workshops and industry events onto our Industry Training & Events Calendar in an effort to support local tourism businesses to grow and thrive.

Use our Industry Training & Events Calendar to find a range of training courses, from First Aid in the Workplace to Social Media guidance, Customer Service skills and Marketing advice. Don't forget to look out for networking events which can help you form relationships with like-minded businesses, build contacts within the tourism industry and keep up to date with important tourism news and events.

You can also find bespoke training opportunities specifically for tourism businesses from our expert B2B Members, who can provide valuable mentoring, workshops and training days to help you transform your business. Search our Business Directory for local and professional contacts for your business needs.

With new events being submitted monthly, keep an eye out for new opportunities to develop your skills and follow us on our Biz twitter @VisitDorsetBiz for regular updates, news and information.

Check out our Social Media How To’s to get you started with setting up your business social media accounts and for helpful ‘top tips’ to amplify your online activity, follow us on our Biz Twitter account @VisitDorsetBiz.

Training in the form of toolkits can be very useful for businesses, Visit Britain has produced an excellent Digital Marketing Toolkit and a New Business Tourism Toolkit has also been produced by North Dorset District Council.

Take a look at the Top 10 Digital Marketing Tip’s that emerged from our series of Digital Marketing Roadshows, to give you an idea of the different ways to enhance your digital marketing from the experts themselves.

Dorset Ambassador Scheme

The Visit Dorset Tourism Partnership partnered with the National Coastal Tourism Academy to develop the Dorset Ambassador Scheme. We actively promote and encourage participation in this FREE online training scheme which is open to everyone who is interested in improving their own or their employee’s knowledge of Dorset and expanding customer care skills.

The aims of this enjoyable interactive training are:

• gain a new qualification for your CV
• improve your customer care skills
• refresh your knowledge of Dorset
• help to boost Dorset's economy with your fantastic knowledge and customer service

Packed with information on Dorset’s towns, events and stunning natural beauty, the Dorset Ambassador Scheme is ideal for staff working in the county’s tourism and hospitality industry.

Investors In People

Investors in People is a flexible and easy to use standard which helps organisations transform their business performance.

People 1st

People 1st is a Sector Skills Council for Hospitality, Leisure Travel and Tourism.

Serco

Skills Support for the Workforce (SSW) is a programme developed to upskill employees within small and medium-sized businesses in Dorset. They provide recognised accredited qualifications and bespoke training courses to enhance your employees’ skills, increase the competitiveness of your business and boost the local economy.

They can work with you to develop a bespoke training programme relevant to your needs, and because this programme is co-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Skills Funding Agency (SFA), you can support your workforce at no extra cost to your business.

Benefits for your employees and business:

• training is tailored to the specific needs of your business
• can be more cost-effective than hiring skilled employees
• increases employee confidence, motivation and productivity
• improves employee loyalty and retention by making them feel valued
• fully-flexible training; pick full qualifications or mix and match individual units to suit your business.
• on-the-job vocational training to meet individual needs; including taught learning, workplace assessment, distance learning and online learning.
• fully funded training – no cost to your business or employees.

Serco is a leading provider of public services. Its Employment, Skills and Enterprise business was selected by the Skills Funding Agency to manage the SSW programme in your region, in partnership with Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership. Serco delivers the training through a network of high quality local training providers.

Contact them for more details and to find out if you are eligible for funded training through SSW.

Dorset Growth Hub

Lots of really useful courses available for tourism businesses from customer care to business finance. See what courses they run on their website.

WSX Enterprise has worked in partnership to secure a 3 year business support programme funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The core services of the existing Dorset Growth Hub will be at the heart of this delivery, providing the website, telephone advice service and initial diagnostic. Additional support on offer will be provided through dedicated strands of activity including:

• pre-start and start-up support
• supporting growth
• improving digital capabilities
• accessing finance
• mentoring

The programme is led by WSX Enterprise and the Dorset Growth Hub with a range of support partners.

The main consortium partners are as follows:

• WSX Enterprise Ltd (Lead partner)
• The Arts Development Company
• Dormen
• Silicon South
• YTKO (incl. Outset & GetSet for Growth)

The Partnership includes the following Local Authorities: North Dorset, Christchurch and East Dorset, Weymouth & Portland, West Dorset, Bournemouth Borough Council (Accountable Body), Purbeck District Council, Borough of Poole, and Dorset County Council.

The beneficiaries of the project are SMEs in the Dorset LEP geographical area from eligible ERDF sectors. The delivery plan has been developed in close consultation with all partners, links to and supports the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) ESIF strategy and also addresses the issues identified by the Dorset business community as part of the Dorset LEP ESIF consultation process.

For more information call us 03454 586 480 and join the discussion on twitter @dorsetgrowthhub #TalkToTony (Our Inbound Account Manager)

** The Dorset Growth Hub also awards grants and vouchers when funding permits, to eligible businesses demonstrating growth potential.