Whether you run a business in Burnley or work for one, there is a chance to pick up new skills, ideas and advice for free when Burnley Business Week returns later this month.
Taking place from 21st to 25th September, this year’s Business Week will see 14 free workshops held at venues across Burnley, covering subjects that businesses and their employees deal with every day.
There is a broad mix on offer, from making better use of AI, managing people and understanding business finance to marketing, employment law, workplace wellbeing and cyber security.
People can also book sessions on starting a business, improving manufacturing productivity, creating a more inclusive workplace, networking, LinkedIn, Canva, social media and running successful events.
The workshops are being delivered by businesses, organisations and specialists from Burnley and beyond, giving local companies access to knowledge and training that would often come at a cost.
And people don’t need to attend the whole week, they can simply book the sessions that are most useful to them or their role.
Councillor Lubna Khan, Burnley Council Executive Member for Development & Growth said:
“There’s a lot on offer this year and I’d really encourage people to have a look at the programme and see what could be useful to them.
“Training and specialist advice can be a real investment for a business, particularly for smaller companies, so to have all of these sessions available free of charge is a great opportunity.
“And Business Week isn’t only for business owners. If you work for a business in Burnley and there’s a workshop that could help you in your job, give you a new skill or help you take an idea back to your workplace, it’s for you too.
“There are still places available across the week, so there’s plenty of time to get involved, but I’d encourage people to book now.”
Among the sessions still open for bookings is How to run a successful event: From Idea to Impact, which will look at what goes into planning an event that works, from the initial idea through to making an impact on the day.
There are also places available on two workshops taking place on the final day of Business Week.
Workplace Wellbeing: Building Resilience, Preventing Burnout and Supporting Your People will look at practical ways to support wellbeing at work, build resilience and help prevent burnout, an issue relevant to businesses and teams of all sizes. The event will also include an exhibition showcasing organisations from across the area that can support the wellbeing of your employees, as well as a great opportunity to network and make new connections.
And Cyber Security in Action: Protect Your Burnley Business will give businesses the chance to learn more about the cyber threats they face and what they can do to better protect their organisation.
Elsewhere in the week, workshops include Turn Time into Profit with AI, Leading People Well: Building Confident and Effective Managers, Start your own business with Carole Garrett BEM, Managing Finance for Start-ups, Smarter Manufacturing: Using AI to Improve Productivity and Performance, Creating an Inclusive Workplace: Practical Steps for Every Business, Co-work & Connect, Raise your profile: LinkedIn for Business Growth, Canva for Business: Create your own professional marketing materials, Managing Performance in a Changing Employment Law Landscape and How to turn social media into sales.
Burnley Business Week runs from Monday 21st to Friday 25th September at venues across the borough.
All workshops are free to attend, but places must be booked in advance.
To see the full programme and book, visit www.burnley.co.uk/business-week.
Post expires at 1:38pm on Tuesday December 15th, 2026