Hidden Talent in Devon

Working with businesses in Devon to improve access to higher education and unlock unrealised potential
Businessmen and women at a meeting.
European Social Fund logo


Hidden Talent has now closed. 

This project helped businesses with under 250 employees FREE support to help with skills and training needs. For further information on business support available from the University of Plymouth, visit Enterprise Solutions.

Helping you...

  • 6Attract and retain the best talent

  • 6Excel in leadership and staff development

  • 6Embed succession planning

  • 6Increase productivity

Business people having a discussion in cafeteria

Free taster courses

In partnership with the Federation of Small Businesses, we offered a series of short taster courses which were FREE to eligible businesses in Devon. 

Courses were open to business owners/directors and their staff and cover areas such as:

  • Management accounting for non-accountants
  • Getting the best from your staff
  • Making data work for your business
  • E-commerce
  • Marketing.

Locations included Plymouth, Exeter and Torbay.

Colleagues working together

Free workplace needs assessments

We offered skills analysis' to all SMEs in Devon completely free of charge. 

With our industry-led approach, we helped businesses to identify skills needs and learn about our bespoke training solutions, enabling businesses to:

  • attract and retain the best talent
  • excel in leadership and staff development
  • embed succession planning. 

Find out more about free workplace needs assessments

What businesses say...

“A very well put together course that was informative and entertaining! It provided me with a good understanding of marketing and this will really help me within my business."

Lisa Manning, Managing Partner, East Devon LPA Service attended the ‘Mastering Marketing’ taster course

“A very well presented course by the tutor who has a great ability to apply the accounting concepts to the individual businesses in the room.”

Edward Sowerby, Finance Officer, Wincanton Community Venture attended the ‘Management for Non-Accountants’ taster course

What is Hidden Talent?

Hidden Talent in Devon is a county-wide project which provides opportunities to unlock unrealised potential through improving access to higher education for individuals and businesses.

Supported by the European Social Fund, the project brings together educational partners across the county to deliver outreach, engagement and skills development activities to promote and encourage participation in higher-level skills, regardless of ability or education level.

Running in tandem with the Strategic Employer Engagement project, Hidden Talent is open to all adult learners across Devon who want to develop their employable skills, including employees of organisations in the private, public and voluntary sector.

Our activities

As a partner in the Hidden Talent project, the University of Plymouth is delivering a variety of activities through which individuals and businesses can engage with higher skills.

Key areas of focus include:

  • The development of new qualifications – higher and degree apprenticeships in chartered management, digital technology, healthcare and more.
  • Continuing professional development – to provide routes in for both employers and employees interested in undertaking higher-level skills.
  • Information, advice and guidance – one to one sessions designed to inform potential learners of how their identified training needs can be met.

Inside of Roland Levinsky Building

Our partners

European Social Fund