Multiply maths support
Multiply is the free, government funded, adult maths support programme, part of Levelling Up, Skills for Life, the Department for Education and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. In West Yorkshire, Multiply is led by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority as part of the Mayor’s ambition to make West Yorkshire the best place to work, learn and live.
Free maths support across West Yorkshire
Why is maths support important and needed?
746,000 adults (52%) in West Yorkshire are estimated to be at entry level and below in terms of maths skills.
While a quarter (1/4) of organisations in West Yorkshire suggest that they need to improve their employees’ basic maths skills.
Multiply is the direct result of this need to improve maths skills across West Yorkshire, and the whole of the UK.
Individuals and businesses can take advantage of this opportunity
For individuals
You can take part if you are:
- An adult aged 19+
- Do not have a maths GCSE at grade C/4 or equivalent
- Live in West Yorkshire
The support is available across West Yorkshire, through the local authorities of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield.
Multiply can help you boost your maths skills and number confidence in your daily life, home, and work. It can help you:
- Increase your maths skills to help your children with homework
- Understand statistics and numbers in the news
- Make sense of bills
- Help you manage your household budget
- Improve your maths knowledge to support your own career
Expression of interest for individuals
For businesses
All businesses – from small medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to larger employers and organisations in the voluntary sector - with employees who live in West Yorkshire can use Multiply.
With Multiply you can assess the skill level of your workforce and better your employees’ maths skills and number confidence at no cost to you.
- Your business can work in collaboration with training providers to create bespoke programmes for your employees, improving their maths skills, or covering specific numeracy skills that are required
- Maths support can be flexible to meet your business and employee needs
- We can train a ‘numeracy champion’ within your business who supports other employees with maths skills and number confidence for years to come
Expression of interest for businesses
What is Multiply and what is its aim?
Multiply is the free, government funded, adult maths support programme, part of Levelling Up, Skills for Life, the Department for Education, and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
The programme is available across the UK, aimed at helping adults to improve their maths skills and boost their number confidence.
In West Yorkshire, Multiply is led by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority as part of the Mayor’s ambition to make West Yorkshire the best place to work, learn and live - with maths support delivered from training partners and the local authorities of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, Wakefield.
#SkillsForLife #Multiply #UnlockYourPotential #MathsSkills #MathsConfidence #UKSPF #WestYorkshire
Frequently asked questions for individuals and businesses
- I have a maths qualification above GCSE at grade C/4 or equivalent in maths, but it has been years, can I still take part?
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To qualify you must not have a GCSE at grade C/4 or equivalent in maths.
However, we are aware of the fact that it might have been years since you received your qualification, you might not necessarily remember much or have not used your maths knowledge since. If that is the case, there are several other courses within the Skills for Life website that can benefit you. To explore these courses please visit: https://skillsforlife.campaign.gov.uk/courses/.
- Will I need to have qualifications to prove my level of maths?
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If you are asked to present a maths qualification document, you will be required to provide one. If you do not have one available, you might alternatively provide a self-declaration statement regarding your maths skills.
- Will the support be conducted online or face to face?
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Support is offered both online and face to face so that you can find the best approach that works for you. You can fill in the individuals’ application form or email the West Yorkshire Combined Authority at multiply@westyorks-ca.gov.uk and we will refer you to the most suitable training provider.
- Can I attend any maths programme in West Yorkshire no matter where I live?
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Yes, you can receive maths support in any West Yorkshire city/town, as long as you live somewhere in West Yorkshire.
- Is Multiply really free for my business? And can any business participate?
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Yes, Multiply is fully funded by the government, through the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and your business or employees will not be required to pay anything.
Any business small or large can participate and self-employed individuals can also be supported.
- Does my company need to reach out to someone, or will some agency or authority reach out to us to participate?
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To express your interest please fill in the businesses’ expression of interest or contact multiply@westyorks-ca.gov.uk. The West Yorkshire Combined Authority will then redirect or refer you to the appropriate training provider or service. Training providers may also reach out to you directly.
- How will my employees’ maths level be assessed?
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A training provider will conduct a maths skills scan, to assess the maths skills of your workforce.
- Can I use Multiply to create my very own, tailored maths programme that will specifically fit my business and employees’ needs?
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Yes, in collaboration with training providers you will be able to design a bespoke programme suitable to your employees’ needs, work well around your business time, and train your workforce based on real business requirements.
- Can everyone in my business use Multiply?
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All your employees who are older than 19 years old, do not have a GCSE at grade C/4 or equivalent in maths, and live in West Yorkshire are eligible to participate.
If there are other employees that want to get involved with Multiply, they can be trained as numeracy champions, who can improve the maths skills level of your company in the years following Multiply.