Budding Entrepreneurs Invited To Join Free Online Courses Through E3 Cumbernauld Business Hub

Citizens of Greater Cumbernauld who are considering establishing a business but need guidance with getting started are being invited to join a free online course being rolled out as of this week by the new E3 Cumbernauld Business Hub.

The ‘I Can and I Will’ programme, a pioneering initiative aimed at women who have been weighing up a business idea but are not quite sure where to begin, is recruiting participants from Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and surrounding villages ahead of its first session of Wednesday 2 March 2022.

The course, which will take place every Wednesday for eight weeks via Zoom from 10.00am-12.00noon, includes one-to-one mentoring for people interested in setting up business and is ideal for those at a cross roads in their career. Individuals can sign up to join ‘I Can and I Will’ free of charge by clicking here.  

Meanwhile, the Business Hub is also encouraging people in managerial or leadership positions within any type of organisation to participate in a three-week online Culture, Ethnicity and Diversity Programme, also beginning on Wednesday 2 March 2022. This course covers implicit bias, ethnicity, diversity, equality and community engagement, and is suitable for employees working across the public, private and voluntary sectors. More details can be obtained by visiting the Radiant and Brighter website.  

The E3 Cumbernauld Business Hub, which opened earlier this month at Muirfield Community Centre in Cumbernauld, is a new innovation which aims to provide a network of enterprise support services to drive skills and development, increase business start-up rates and deliver job creation opportunities. The Cumbernauld Hub is being delivered in partnership with North Lanarkshire Council, with all resources on offer are funded by UK Government’s UK Community Renewal Fund.

In addition to its free online programmes and mentoring, the Business Hub is also making grants of up to £300 available to anyone aged 18-30 who has a business idea and needs financial help to test their idea. Those interested in accessing a grant are invited to drop in to visit the Hub team for further information and guidance, or to log onto the North Lanarkshire E3 Hub Facebook page. A spokesperson for the Cumbernauld E3 Portal Team commented:

“The Cumbernauld Hub is now open to local people, based in Muirfield Community Centre, so it’s easy to access from the town centre. People can visit to ask for advice or just to chat with the Cumbernauld team. The Hub also facilitates iPads and laptops people can utilise on their visits.

“Business ideas don’t need to be set in stone; the hub is all about making sure ideas have the support they need. Programmes are diverse, modern and sustainably-centred.

“This will help local businesses and people to create a long-term business plan so they can adapt, enhance or even create their own business. The provision available includes digital workshops, agricultural diversification, women in enterprise and diversity training, to name a few.

“It’s an exciting time in Cumbernauld, with the town on the cusp of regeneration and aesthetically undergoing some changes. The Cumbernauld Hub will support our local businesses and people with the shift this creates.

“We also stand to strengthen the community’s current business environment due to the effects caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Therefore, we’ve set a target of engaging with 10,000 businesses and we’re eager to get progress underway by working with and for the community. 

“In order to do this, the Cumbernauld Hub has a mobile van that will reach less accessible areas of the town in addition to creating a community presence. The Hub would love for local people to approach us for a friendly chat about the work and programmes we are delivering.”

The Cumbernauld project is one of four new Business Hubs being implemented across Scotland by Elevator, an organisation which helps entrepreneurs accelerate their business through delivery of Business Gateway services. The company was awarded £2.8 million funds from the UK Community Renewal Fund to facilitate the venture. Professor Gary McEwan, Chief Executive at Elevator, said:

“Our vision is for Scotland to be one of the most entrepreneurial, vibrant and dynamic countries in the world.

“Critical to this is our ability to connect and engage with all communities, rural and urban, tapping into local knowledge and insight.

“As a direct impact of these projects, we expect to add an estimated £50 million net additional gross added value across Scotland, extending our entrepreneurial ecosystem, accelerating local economic growth and unlocking opportunities for people in communities across the country.”

Elevator has recruited dedicated enterprise support staff in North Lanarkshire to establish two pop-up Hubs in Cumbernauld and Shotts, with targeted outcomes including establishing an online e-learning portal, engaging with 10,000 businesses, awarding up to £50,000 of social media grants, training and digital support and providing employment opportunities through new product development for 20 businesses.

For further information about participating in the online courses available or benefiting from business support services in Cumbernauld, email Melanie West at E3 Cumbernauld Business Hub at melanie@elevatoruk.com. Alternatively, drop in to the visit the Hub team at Suite 14, Muirfield Community Centre, 1a South Muirhead Road, Cumbernauld, G67 1AX.

Click Here to Download ‘I Can and I Will’ Programme Information Poster for March 2022