Westpac and TAFE NSW join forces to deliver free business growth course for 1,000 SMEs

Westpac and TAFE NSW are collaborating to deliver a free national education course for 1,000 small business customers to help them position their businesses for growth.

The Small Business Growth Series will run over 12-weeks and aims to help small business owners better manage during times of crisis, understand business risk, and improve digital and social media marketing.

The content will focus on how to innovate and implement change strategies to pivot business operations.

It will also cover developing online channels and how to identify risks and opportunities in the medium to long term.

Westpac Business division chief executive Guil Lima said the course will help address issues identified in the bank’s research, which found that three in five small businesses were not prepared for the pandemic and the impact it would have on their businesses.

The online survey of 500 small business conducted by Fifth Dimension in February identified that 56% of businesses believe they would benefit from an education course.

Announcing the collaboration, Lima said the initiative was a way to show support for the company’s small business customers.

“As Australia moves out of recession and into a period of growth, we want these businesses to be equipped with the latest thinking and business strategies to help them prosper,” Lima said in a statement.

New South Wales Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education, Geoff Lee, welcomed the collaboration and said skills training would play a vital role in preparing businesses for a post-pandemic environment.

“It’s great to see Westpac and TAFE NSW join forces to give small business owners the skills and training required to assist their business in the COVID-19 recovery,” Lee said.

“TAFE NSW has a strong track record of working with industry to provide businesses with the practical training they need to help their companies thrive,” he said.

For more information, visit the Westpac Business Help Hub or TAFE NSW’s website.