The Economic Support Initiative (ESI) will encourage higher education (HE) institutions to play their part in improving the employment prospects of recent graduates, and those recently unemployed or facing redundancy. It will also back institutions which offer to support companies’ performance through providing access to HE knowledge and expertise. Securing money through the fund will enable institutions to offer packages of training, development and practical support to individuals and businesses to improve skills and encourage innovation. We are accredited providers of training to The Institute of Knowledge Transfer. So how can we help? If you find it difficult to bridge that gap between your educational body and external companies, it may be time to brush up on your networking skills. Networking is an integral part of helping your institution gain more revenue and build stronger, longer lasting relationships with external bodies. We can run in-house tailored workshops for your institution, or why not come on one of our Nationwide public courses to experience what we do? Please contact Ann Davies at ann@kintish.co.uk or call 0161 773 3727 for more information about how we can help.Professor Philip Gummett, Chief Executive of HEFCW, said: The fund will allow Wales’s universities and colleges to respond quickly to situations as they emerge and to target areas most at need of help. We always emphasise the wealth of knowledge and expertise in Wales’s higher education institutions, and the current economic downturn means that Wales needs to tap into this valuable resource more than ever. Education Minister Jane Hutt said: As we face challenges in the global economy it is essential that we do everything we can to help businesses and individuals gain the training and skills they need for the future. The announcement of the ESI scheme is excellent news for Wales, I’m sure it will make a real positive difference for recent graduates as they seek employment. The initiative, which particularly encourages regional partnerships and partnerships with other bodies, will be matched by funding from participating HE institutions and other partners, with activities due to start in June 2009