Louise Haigh joined Google on 25 November to see local businesses, entrepreneurs and jobseekers taking part in Google’s Digital Garage skills training programme, a nationwide digital skills drive to help individuals and small businesses adapt to the ‘new normal’ post-pandemic.

Sheffield-based businesses, entrepreneurs, and residents joined Google for a day of free workshops and mentoring sessions on how to grow your business online, and find new customers.

Digital Garage attendees also benefited from private mentoring sessions with Google’s Digital Coaches to focus on personal goals for their business growth.

Louise Haigh, MP for Sheffield Heeley, said: 

“It was great to welcome Google in my constituency for part of their Google Digital Garage tour. I was really pleased to see so many local businesses and residents attend to hear from Google’s fantastic Digital Garage trainers, and I enjoyed meeting a number of local businesses and residents, to hear about how they plan to use the skills learnt today, and to see first-hand the importance of improving digital skills”.

The event follows research from Google which reveals that 60% of small business owners agree that they are operating in a ‘new normal’ post-pandemic, with customer and employee expectations radically altered.

Whilst there has been much focus on return-to-office for big businesses post-pandemic, over half (56%) of small businesses agreed that employee expectations around remote and flexible working had permanently changed – and 50% believe that offering hybrid or remote working is necessary to help them retain employees.

In particular, small business leaders are eager for the next phase of digital skills which will support them. 79% agree that there is a need for a step change in their digital skills in order to grow in a hybrid world.

The research also found:

• Just 4% of small businesses feel that they’re meeting their full potential on digital strategy, and only (3%) feel this for online sales and upskilling staff.
• Almost three quarters (72%) of businesses said they would be interested in government or third party funded digital skills training, and in incentives for providing training (68%), as they look to grow in a hybrid world.
• However, more than three quarters were unaware of government support (76%) or third party support (78%) to help them adopt digital technologies.

Google’s Digital Garage digital skills training programme is visiting over 30 locations this year to deliver in-person digital skills training to help small businesses grow and support levelling up across the UK.

Since 2015, the Digital Garage programme has trained over 800,000 users in more than 500 cities, towns and villages.

Managing Director for Google UK and Ireland, Ronan Harris, said:

“Everyone is navigating the new normal and adjusting to post-pandemic life. We want to play our part in helping individuals and businesses to better navigate the hybrid world. That’s why we were delighted to visit Sheffield to offer in-person digital skills training and to help people across the country to develop high impact tech skills that get the economy growing.”