Innovas Consulting has recently begun work on the third and final phase of an evaluation of the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP) Financial Skills Resource Solutions to Support Business Growth and Sustainability project.

The £1.7m project runs from October 2012 up to March 2015 and is part funded by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) Growth and Innovation Fund (GIF). Through the project, CIPP and partners are seeking to address a lack of skills in bookkeeping, payroll and financial administration in SMEs and Business System Outsourcers by providing skills training to existing employees and others seeking to get back into work.

The project also funds apprenticeships in financial administration support for businesses in order to assist 16-24 year olds into work and thereby contribute towards the Government’s Youth Employment Pledge.

The first phase of the evaluation was completed in February 2013. This set out the overall evaluation framework. An interim evaluation was carried out early in 2014. The final evaluation will contain an overall assessment of project progress, delivery and impact and importantly will draw out lessons for the future.

The work adds to Innovas’ extensive evaluation track record.

Other recent assignments include an evaluation of an Action for Blind People project which supported blind and partially sighted people to re-enter employment and to set up their own businesses, ERDF youth enterprise projects for both Welsh Government and Kirklees Council, and an evaluation of Welsh Government’s support for Intellectual Property commercialisation among universities, businesses and in the NHS.

For more information contact: Simon Hallam

T: 01606 551122 M: 0741 371 810 E: simon.hallam@innovas.co.uk