Local Support, International Reach
There is more support available to Essex businesses than many realise, and much of it is completely free.
Visit the Business Boost Hub at the Festival of Business for a practical, hands-on opportunity to explore the challenges facing your organisation and discover the support available to help you overcome them.
Whether you’re struggling to recruit skilled staff, looking to improve productivity, exploring new technologies, seeking funding opportunities, developing future talent pipelines, or planning your next phase of growth, the Business Boost Hub brings together experts and organisations that can help.
Drop in for a conversation and connect directly with organisations that provide practical support, including:
Greater Essex Careers Hub
The Greater Essex Careers Hub aims to inspire and prepare young people with a comprehensive careers programme throughout their time at school and college. We bridge the gap between education and employment by bringing together schools and colleges with local employers to support them in delivering high quality, inclusive and meaningful experiences.
University of Essex
The University of Essex is the UK’s #1 University for Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs), securing up to 67% government funding for businesses to reduce innovation costs with substantial funding support that lowers the financial barrier to strategic R&D.
Supply Chain Academy
Every organisation relies on a well-run supply chain, from product design and sourcing to delivery. When the supply chain runs smoothly, so does the business. Our mission is to empower professionals with the knowledge and skills to lead in today’s dynamic supply chain landscape.
SEATS
SEATS is a pioneering broker of apprenticeship and training services, strategically located in Essex and the Thames Freeport area. We collaborate with a diverse network of colleges, universities and independent training providers to meet the evolving skills and upskilling demands of businesses.
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
More than just the JobCentres, the Department for Work and Pensions has a wide range of facets, from the Connect to Work programme to recruitment specialists the DWP are poised to focus on recruitment, in particular with those most in need of work.
Federation of Essex Colleges (FEDEC)
The Federation of Essex Colleges (FEDEC), is a forum for the colleges in Essex. FEDEC exists to promote the collaborative work of its members and their impact on the local, regional and national economy. FEDEC is committed to improving the post-16 education, employment and skills opportunities available to the county’s population, including businesses, communities and individuals.
Essex Provider Network (EPN)
The Essex Provider Network has been set up with the specific aim of providing a single voice for all Essex based learning and training providers including Further Education Colleges with a focus on work-based learning.
Able Futures
Able Futures is a nationwide specialist partnership set up to provide the Access to Work Mental Health Support Service on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions. Able Futures supports people in England, Scotland and Wales who are working and living with mental health difficulties, as well as advising employers and providers of apprenticeships on how they can support mental health at work.
Flick Training
At flick we’re on a mission to transform the world of must-do compliance training into a great learning experience that is easy on the eye, memorable, to the point and dare we say, enjoyable! Our simple subscription service gives you unlimited access to all courses on our learning management system, or you may license our content to host on your own. We also design and deliver bespoke online e-learning courses on any subject.
Anglia Ruskin University
We know that developing new ideas, products and services can be financially challenging and that funding opportunities that are right for you and your business aren’t always easy to find. We can work with you to identify the best funding solutions and help you with the application process.
The Bridge
The Bridge is Essex County Council’s free business to education matching service, designed to help employers access new talent, build future workforce pipelines, and become more inclusive organisations — while supporting young people with additional needs and disabilities to prepare for adulthood through meaningful work opportunities.
The British Portuguese Chamber of Commerce (BPCC)
The BPCC is an authorised Intermediary Organisation, one of the contact points for the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs, a cross-border exchange programme for entrepreneurs, which offers new or aspiring Entrepreneurs (NEs) the opportunity to collaborate with an experienced entrepreneur (HE) from another country and strengthen the skills they need to develop their company.
The Apprenticeship Hub
The Essex Apprenticeship Hub is a free service run by Essex County Council to help school leavers, job seekers, and employers navigate apprenticeships across the region.
Thames Freeport
Thames Freeport delivers a range of education, skills, and youth-engagement initiatives across East London and South Essex (including Thurrock, Havering, and Barking and Dagenham) to bridge regional labour shortages and support local students including their exceptional scholarship programme
Invest Essex
Invest Essex brings together the private sector, local partners, and international networks to champion Essex as a place to invest, innovate, and expand.
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Join our experts in the Orangery at 10.25am or 1.15pm for a panel discussion exploring the support available to help your business move forward. Then visit the Hub throughout the day to continue the conversation, ask questions and connect with the organisations that can help.
By visiting the Hub, your business could benefit from:
✅ Access to free training and workforce development opportunities
✅ Graduate, undergraduate and apprenticeship talent pipelines
✅ Recruitment support and access to local labour markets
✅ AI, digital and productivity improvement advice
✅ Employee wellbeing and retention support
✅ Innovation, research and knowledge transfer opportunities
✅ Skills brokerage and funding guidance
✅ New business connections and collaborative partnerships
✅ Support to address current challenges and unlock future growth
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Whether you want to develop your workforce, improve productivity, embrace new technologies, build talent pipelines or simply understand what support is available, the Business Boost Hub provides a single place to access expertise, advice and practical solutions.
Come with a challenge, a question, or an ambition for your business. Leave with new contacts, fresh ideas and a clearer route to growth.
