An innovative online training tool has been launched to help get thousands of experienced business people mentoring small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

The new training tool is part of the Get Mentoring scheme launched in November that is recruiting 15,000 new mentors to help entrepreneurs fulfil their potential.

The tool, provided by the Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (SFEDI) at www.getmentoring.org, is free to use, making it even easier for people to get mentoring and join the growing network of volunteer business mentors.

Business and Enterprise Minister Mark Prisk said:

“This training tool is vital to help build our growing network of trained mentors. Mentoring is a very effective way for aspiring entrepreneurs to get the help and support they need to succeed. It enables business people to harness the knowledge and expertise of those who have been there and done it before.

“Having worked as a mentor I know how rewarding it can be to use your business experience and help someone who is eager to learn. I would encourage business people of all ages and backgrounds to get involved in mentoring as it really can help to give a new or growing business a boost in their development.”

Entrepreneurs looking for a mentor will be able to access mentors recruited by Get Mentoring through www.mentorsme.co.uk, launched last summer.

This year the Government is running the Business in You campaign to encourage more people to start or grow their business throughout 2012 using a range of existing support services, such as business mentors.

Tim Whitehall is the Managing Director and co-founder of a construction consultant company in Chester, Room 4 Consulting, and has recently completed the training, he said:

“I’ve always thought about mentoring because I think real experience of making difficult decisions in challenging situations is invaluable to another business owner and I was keen to share my knowledge. When I spotted the Get Mentoring scheme I instantly knew it was something I wanted to get involved in.”

The Get Mentoring project was launched in November 2011. Over 3,000 people have already signed up with almost 2,000 people having completed the training at workshops across the country. They have joined the thousands of mentors already available at www.mentorsme.co.uk. The project is backed by a range of partners including the Institute of Directors, the Federation of Small Businesses, the Forum of Private Business and the National Enterprise Network.

SFEDI, in partnership with the CFA, is currently developing a set of standards related to enterprise. These standards outline what individuals need to do to make a positive, proactive and sustained difference to the development and management of businesses and organisations. In so doing, the standards will be used by employers to review and enhance the enterprising skills of current members of staff, as well as in the development of programmes of learning and skills focused on enterprise and employability.

In order to ensure that they meet the needs of both employers and providers of learning and skills development, we are keen to get your comments and thoughts on the draft enterprise standards. There are two ways you can let us know what you think of the standards:

Click here to complete an online survey which contains a set of focused questions around the clarity, consistency and coverage of the standards

Given the current emphasis placed by employers on the need for enterprising skills amongst potential and current members of staff, we are keen to ensure that the standards make a positive contribution to the development of enterprise in the labour market. Therefore, your views are very important to us. The deadline for responses to the consultation is the 20th February 2012.

A copy of the standards and functional map can be accessed from www.cfa.uk.com/consultations.html

For any further information, please contact Leigh Sear or Jo Lee on 0845 467 4928.

SFEDI Awards is pleased to announce that from 1st February 2012 three new qualifications will be made available to our centre network:

SFEDI Awards Level 2 NVQ Certificate in Team Leading

SFEDI Awards Level 3 NVQ Certificate in Management

SFEDI Awards Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Management

These qualifications will support the development of team leading and management skills amongst new and/or existing members of staff. Leadership and Management skills are seen as important areas for development and especially within supporting new and small companies to help provide more assurance of business sustainability.

Further details as to the structure of these qualifications will be available within the Qualifications section of the website within the next week.

If centres are interested in adding these qualifications to their centre offer please contact our Customer Service team on customerservices@sfediawards.com or complete and submit the Qualification Application form found within the Centre Documentation section of the website.

If organisations are interested in becoming a Centre of Excellence or a SFEDI Awards Centre then please contact our Customer Service team via customerservices@sfediawards.com.

Jason Major completed the Preparing to Run Your Own Business Course at The Sheffield College

Jason worked in the USA for ten years as a graphic designer for many industries particularly Local Government, Healthcare, charities and small businesses before returning to the UK to have a go at setting up his own graphic design business in his hometown of Sheffield.

He found out about the course by seeing an advert in the Sheffield Star and thought it would be great way for him to understand the processes involved in setting up a business. He says, “The course is fantastic and covers everything you need to know to get up and running”.

When asked how the course had changed the way he felt about setting up a business, he says, “I feel a lot more confident about setting up the business now. The course lets you see if your business idea is viable before you even start. The course teaches you the formula of starting up a new business and how to ensure it is successful”.

Jason’s business, Major Major, has now launched and already has an impressive portfolio.

SFEDI Awards is pleased to announce that from 1st February 2012 two new qualifications will be made available to our centre network:

SFEDI Awards Level 4 Diploma In Career Information and Advice (QCF)

SFEDI Awards Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development (QCF)

We recognise that there is a need for those who offer career guidance and support to understand how the process works and act with confidence in what they complete.

The new qualifications are designed to give learners who are working within a career guidance role the opportunity to develop their skills in supporting customers to make informed decisions relating to their career plans and further learning or training opportunities that they may require.

This qualification would aim to qualify those within careers guidance, government agencies and also the new National Careers Service due for launch in April 2012.

Don’t forget that you may have staff within your own organisation who offer career guidance and support through your DWP contracts, for example the Work Programme, that you could use these qualifications for CPD purposes to help build on the service you already offer to your customers.

Further details as to the structure of these qualifications will be available within the Qualifications section of the website within the next week.

If centres are interested in adding these qualifications to their centre offer please contact our Customer Service team on customerservices@sfediawards.com or complete and submit the Qualification Application form found within the Centre Documentation section of the website.

If organisations are interested in becoming a Centre of Excellence or a SFEDI Awards Centre then please contact our Customer Service team via customerservices@sfediawards.com.