The Chamber has been successful in securing a third year of funding for our Skills Bootcamp in International Trade. If you would like to share this with any of the companies that you deal with who trade internationally, that would be great. This is government-funded training with a 10% (£300) employer contribution from SMEs, making this by far the most economical way to acquire a comprehensive knowledge of international trade. There is no need to be a chamber member but EITHER the employer AND/OR the employee must be located in the wider Lancashire area in order to benefit from the funding.

The Skills Bootcamp is a 60-hour government-funded training course in international trade. I have attached the prospectus and we are recruiting now for our May cohort, the dates of which are below:

  • Tuesday 12 May Tuesday 16 June
  • Tuesday 19 May Tuesday 23 June
  • Wednesday 27 May Tuesday 30 June
  • Tuesday 2 June Tuesday 7 July
  • Wednesday 10 June Tuesday 14 July

The Skills Bootcamp in International Trade is a comprehensive Level 3 course covering all aspects of import and export. Learners attend one full day a week for ten consecutive weeks here at our Fulwood Chamber. Valued at £3,000, there is a nominal employer contribution of £300 per place from SMEs (£900 per place for employers with 250+ employees), making this a very cost-effective way to upskill a key member of staff.

In order to be eligible, either the employer OR the employee (or both) must be located in Lancashire, and must not be an apprentice. There is no need to be a chamber member.

“The programme provided highly relevant and practical knowledge that can be immediately applied. We would strongly recommend the Bootcamp to other employers who want to strengthen their international trade capability. […] The course has been well-structured, industry‑focused and delivered at the right level for manufacturing SMEs working in complex, regulated supply chains. Our employee has returned with greater confidence, improved attention to detail in documentation checks, and a much stronger understanding of international trade controls.”

The curriculum connects the dots between import and export procedures, compliance, and sales, enabling employees and managers to maximise their company’s potential internationally, while reducing costs and risk to the business.

Upskill your workforce, enabling them to take on new or additional international trade responsibilities

Government funded, Level 3 qualification, regulated by Ofsted. Learners also achieve the nationally recognised Level 2 BCC Foundation Award in International Trade as part of the course.

Suitable for different job functions: procurement, administration, logistics, warehouse, operations, compliance, customer service, internal and external sales

Suitable for different levels of experience: from newcomers to those more experienced

Suitable for different levels of seniority, including administrators, managers and directors/small business owners

The strength of the Skills Bootcamp is in its diversity, bringing together a motivated group of likeminded individuals who ask questions and share different perspectives and experiences, bringing the learning to life and making it tangible.

Content – we cover all aspects of importing and exporting, from documentation and compliance through to payment methods and export growth. Deep dives on incoterms, tariff classification and rules of origin enable learners to maximise trade opportunities and minimise risk. The content is further tailored to the needs of the learners’ job roles and the industries they work in.

If you have any questions, or any of your members would like to find out more, then please get in touch with fayp@lancschamber.co.uk