Funding is word perfect for language services provider…
A language services provider is set to further its ambitious growth plans after receiving funding from the region’s leading business support programme.
WORD360, based in Birmingham, has received grant funding through the Business Development Programme (BDP) – an £8million business support scheme aimed at helping more than 400 SMEs across the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) area.
WORD360 was established more than 20 years ago and has a core staff of six at its Handsworth HQ, as well as a network of 500 linguists across the globe.
The company has recently refurbished its Birmingham offices, as well as undertaking a rebrand and launching a new website. Match funding from the BDP has helped WORD360 to make those changes, as well as further its plans to grow.
They are in the process of recruiting two members of staff and plan to have a complement of ten at the end of the year.
The company supplies interpreting and translation services for the NHS, manufacturers, law firms and other businesses in the West Midlands.
Marketing director and co-owner Kavita Parmar said: “We are in a period of tremendous growth, and we are now working with the traditional West Midlands industries such as manufacturing and engineering in order to fuel that growth.
“As well as that, we are rolling out our services across the UK and we will be recruiting over 200 linguists as we continue to expand our offering. In the modern business world, interpreting and translation are becoming ever-more integral as companies look to sell their products and services around the globe. We match the specialisms of our translators and interpreters precisely to the needs of the businesses we are working for.”
The BDP provides match grant funding of up to £15,000 for small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) that have been trading for more than six months and have expansion plans ready to implement that will safeguard existing jobs or create new ones.
The programme – managed by Birmingham City Council and funded through the European Regional Development Fund – runs until June 2015 and businesses in Birmingham, Cannock, East Staffordshire, Lichfield, North Worcestershire (Bromsgrove, Redditch, Wyre Forest), Solihull and Tamworth can still apply.
Councillor Tahir Ali, cabinet member for development, jobs and skills at Birmingham City Council, said: “WORD360 is a local company that is meeting the needs of 21st century business by providing a bespoke service that genuinely helps those firms deliver to a wider audience. It is precisely to support such initiatives that the Council created the Business Development Programme.”
As well as the financial assistance scheme, an intensive coaching and mentoring scheme is available to 200 ambitious business owners and directors, to deliver personal performance and business growth: great200leaders includes 100 hours of leadership development, delivered over a 12 month period in 10 peer group workshops. Each workshop is headed by an inspirational expert speaker and each participant receives £4,000 funding towards the cost.
For a limited period only companies may be eligible for a grant, enabling them to access the great200leaders programme for £1,000 rather than the regular cost of £2,000 (subject to qualifying criteria).
For more information about the programme please visit http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/bdp
or to apply for the coaching and mentoring programme visit:
http://www.winningmoves.com/G200L
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Tags: birmingham business news, Birmingham City Council, Birmingham Events, Birmingham News, Business Development Programme (BDP), Business How to guides, Business Information Portal, Councillor Tahir Ali, European Regional Development Fund, GBSLEP, graduate recruitment, great200leaders, Kavita Parmar, National, NHS, SMEs, The BIP, West Midlands Business News, West Midlands News, WORD360
