Two Yorkshire firms to deliver scheme aimed at improving adult numeracy

Multiply is a new £560 million nationwide scheme which involves a government-funded short course eligible to adults over the age of 19. The scheme hopes to help people to improve their maths skills, confidence, and career prospects through practical learning.

The scheme is targeted at businesses to help their employees build confidence when working with numbers in the workplace.

Catherine English, project lead for Multiply at West Yorkshire Combined Authority, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for SMEs and the wider business community across the region.

“This scheme is designed to help build confidence and remove anxiety around maths and numeracy for people who are required to use such skills as some part of their job, without it being the dominant feature.

“For the employee, this provides the chance to enhance their career development and increase their skill set while, for the business, it will help improve productivity and should assist with staff retention.”

The scheme is designed to teach maths skills through fun, activity-based workshops, with no homework or exams.

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority has instructed Realise to deliver the Multiply programme with the aim of reaching at least 700 employees of businesses in the region over the next two years.

QED, set up in Bradford in 1990 to provide support and training to ethnic minority and disadvantaged communities, will work alongside Realise to deliver the scheme.

Sarah Birkinshaw, delivery manager for Realise, said: “We want to engage with as many businesses as possible in West Yorkshire as this can make a real difference to both its people and its performance.

“When a business signs up for Multiply, we will consult very closely with its team to find out its specific requirements and devise a bespoke programme to ensure we are delivering sessions which meet the needs of the business. There is no one-size-fits-all approach for Multiply.”