Female entrepreneurs looking to grow their businesses will now have access to free training thanks to a new $5.9 million Women in Business initiative.

The Women in Business initiative will be delivered by TAFE NSW and will provide female entrepreneurs running small businesses, micro-businesses, or start-ups access to courses designed to help them build their brand.

The Women in Business initiative explained

Announcing the initiative today, minister for Skills and Tertiary Education Geoff Lee said many female business owners will use skills from the program to turn challenges into opportunities.

“The fact many businesswomen have found ways to grow their business at such a challenging time is testament to their entrepreneurial spirit and hard work,” Lee said.

“The NSW Government, through TAFE NSW, is fostering the talents of the state’s women in business by offering practical skills and knowledge to boost their business.”

Female entrepreneurship grows during the pandemic

Recent research by TAFE NSW has shown almost seven in ten businesswomen (69 per cent) had sought new opportunities for their business during the pandemic as lockdowns and restrictions caused businesses to pivot to survive.

Minister for Finance and Small Business Damien Tudehope said while the coronavirus crisis has proved a challenging time for businesses, it’s also provided an opportunity for growth.

“We’ve seen businesses diversify and change up the way they do things to get through this global health pandemic and the TAFE NSW Women in Business program is giving them the tools to successfully do that.

“The program provides NSW businesswomen with access to a range of fee-free online learning topics, with business planning, marketing, and business readiness amongst the most popular classes.”

Time for women to upskill and grow their business

Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor said the program would help women upskill and grow their businesses, no matter the size.

“It’s been a really challenging time for so many women and this initiative is all about supporting them to achieve their full potential by empowering and equipping them with everything they need to thrive in their chosen business,” Taylor said.

The initiative will allow women business owners to refresh their existing skills and learn new one to help them achieve success.

The NSW Government’s Women in Business initiative forms part of the $7.8 million NSW Women’s Strategy 2018-2022. It complements a range of other small business support measures and offers fee-free online learning for female entrepreneurs running small businesses, micro-businesses, or startups.

Find more on the Women in Business program at www.tafensw.edu/womeninbusiness

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