Cut Down on the Hassle of Recruiting a New Member of Staff

The Green Growth Platform is providing help with recruitment as part of their drive to grow green businesses in Sussex…

If you’re an environmentally conscious business in Sussex, chances are you’ll have heard of the Green Growth Platform by now. Part of the University of Brighton, they’re delivering subsidised business growth support, research and development services, networking events and skills development across Sussex.

The programme is targeted at green businesses – which includes those who take a green approach to their business as well as those working specifically in an environmental sector. One of their most popular services is the internship grant scheme. The scheme helps businesses recruit a recent graduate by part-funding the initial salary and helping with the development and advertising of the role.

If your business is in need of an extra pair of hands, or you’re planning to recruit soon, then it could help take some of the pain out of the process. Recruiting a new team member can be a risk. The scheme is designed so that the “intern” is employed for an initial six week period, acting like a trial for both employer and employee. If the six week period is successful then the expectation is that the role continues.

£1,000 is paid to the business towards the initial salary costs, and careers experts at the University of Brighton can help businesses work up the job specification and advertise the role.

Lilybud Gardens by Design owner Lisa Attwell has taken full advantage of the scheme: “the internship has benefitted Lilybud greatly by making the process of hiring our first employee as painless as it could be. Having a trusted extra pair of hands has enabled me to focus on working “on the business” instead of always “in the business”. We’ve both really enjoyed being able to collaborate on our clients’ designs and I believe that our clients have benefitted greatly from having two designers working on their project instead of just one. I’d thoroughly recommend businesses consider taking on a Green Growth Platform intern.”

For more information on the internship grant scheme and other Green Growth Platform services, email greengrowthplatform@brighton.ac.uk

or visit www.greengrowthplatform.co.uk