Independent studies show that companies that don't invest in growth, research and development during a recession are 2.5 times more likely to fail than those that do
Helping businesses
Business that invest often emerge stronger and more competitive than they were before the recession. See Skills for Business Report.
DIUS can help businesses of all sizes to survive and thrive by helping you to take advantage of two secrets to business success - talent and innovation.
Supporting talent and innovation
DIUS was created in June 2007, merging together functions of the old Department for Education and Skills, and Department of Trade and Industry. We enable businesses to grow and succeed by supporting the organisations that can help you to take advantage of talent and innovation: including further education colleges, universities, research bodies, funding institutions and many more.
These are the organisations that undertake world-leading research and the networks and organisations that can help you to turn that research and knowledge into competitive ideas. And they are the ones to help you find financial support for your research and to protect your ideas from being copied.
They are also the institutions that can help you recruit or develop the skills and talent potential of your staff to enable you to unlock the innovation you need for success. Through them, we fund graduates, apprentices, a wide range of vocational training, and courses in basic literacy and mathematics.
In short, DIUS is striving to make every pound of taxpayers' money work as hard for you as you first worked to generate it.
Business Link
Many business support services are already available through Business Link. This service will grow substantially over the next couple of years and services for business will be made easier to access under the Single Government ’Solution for Business approach announced by BERR in October 2008. DIUS also welcomes the proposals put forward on 23 October by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills in ‘Simplification of Skills in England’. We will be working with UKCES and other stakeholders to look at how these proposals can be implemented.
Surviving today's climate
The links on the right show many of the other ways DIUS and our partners can help you survive and thrive in today's challenging economic and environmental climate.
"Skills and training have never been more important to UK businesses. In the ever-intensifying heat of global competition, skills are a critical factor in determining business success."
Miles Templeman
Director General, Institute of Directors (IoD)
October 2008
