Enterprise Services

We are the contractor for Business Gateway in Renfrewshire and Dunbartonshire, this is our main contract and makes up most of what we do. For more information on this contract take a look here.

Skills Development Scotland is a government body that works with learning and Skills organisations to strengthen Scotland’s sustainable economic development.  BDA carry out their 'Training for Work Programme' in partnership with Job Centre Plus in Renfrewshire. The main aim of this programme is to help turn long term unemployment into self employment.

Training for Work Clients meet with one of our advisers and are given help, advice and the opportunity to attend our free workshops whilst still receiving benefits in the form of a training grant. For more information on the Training for Work programme, visit Skills Development Scotland.

BDA has recently had the contracts renewed to deliver the Training for Work Self Employment programme across the whole of Renfrewshire.

In pursuit of this, we have developed a productive relationship with the local Jobcentre Plus (JCP) offices to the extent that our advisers base themselves in the JCP offices in Barrhead, Renfrew, Port Glasgow and Greenock every week. They liase with advisers at the Job Centres, and ensure that any unemployed that come in and meet the Training for Work criteria and would consider self employment are referred to us. Last year alone over 100 people entered the Training for Work programme, gaining skills, confidence and employability in the process.

Scottish Enterprise is Scotland's main economic, enterprise, innovation and investment agency, their ultimate goal is to stimulate sustainable growth of Scotland’s economy.

BDA used to help Scottish Enterprise achieve it's aims through running the Business Gateway service. In 2007 however, the running of Business Gateway was passed down to the 32 local authority areas meaning BDA now works very closely with the various councils in the area.

 We still work with Scottish Enterprise with some of our high growth clients advising and helping them until they are ready to be passed on and account managed by Scottish Enterprise. When a potential Growth Pipeline client is identified one of our advisers is assigned to that client, working closely with them. Finally the adviser liaises with the Scottish Enterprise account manager or client manager to ensure a smooth handover of the client.