The impact of the Multiply programme on learners and businesses

Multiply, the numeracy skills programme funded by the Department for Education, continues to have a significant impact on learners and businesses alike.

Feedback from Multiply learners who have been referred by employers to improve their numeracy skills highlights a range of benefits for both individuals and the companies they work for.

By upskilling their workforces through the Multiply programme, businesses have noticed an improved quality of work and increase in productivity, not only in numeracy-based projects but also other areas of the business.

Learners have reported that upskilling in areas such as mental maths, number bonds, sequencing, percentage calculations, weights and measures, decimals and discounts has given them a new level of confidence and reduced anxiety around numeracy tasks.

For employers, this has led to improved competencies across their businesses in budgeting, communication, financial understanding, decision-making, data collection and representation, and problem solving. Learners have become more motivated and engaged in their work which benefits the wider workforce.

In testimonials from learners, there have been many references to how enjoyable the learning has been and how much it has improved confidence. Rather than a pressurised expectation for results, employees have found that humour and patience from providers delivering the Multiply programme has put them at ease, facilitating more successful upskilling.

Upskilling with the Multiply programme has improved employees’ prospects within a business or enabled them to enrol on other courses that wouldn’t be possible without a mathematics qualification.

Naila said she is very happy she started the course as she feels an evident difference in her confidence. She said, “I feel there is so much I can do, I just need to learn and practice.”

Joyce’s feedback was equally encouraging: “What has surprised me is, how much I enjoy coming to maths classes and actually going away feeling I have learned something. Who would have thought I would have ever been happy learning fractions or percentages? I take what I have learned home and study an hour every day as I really want to do this.”

Rahul, Manager of a local care home, requested a maths session for his staff members to improve the numeracy skills required in the Health & Social Care sector. The main aim of the session was to complete short tasks by using calculation skills, problem solving and checking work thoroughly. Rahul said: “Thank you to PHX for giving Springfield staff members the opportunity to take part in this programme”.

More information about Multiply for Business can be found at https://www.lancashireskillshub.co.uk/multiply/business.