Business advisors are soon going to be an endangered species. Currently, Business Link is the major employer, but with many an enterprise agency, social enterprise development company, quango and local government officer employed to support businesses there are a range of business advisors out there.
But from November or even earlier, many advisors will have lost their funding or been made redundant. Many will have to re-train or enter the private sector perhaps in a related but different career.
What worries me the most however, is where is the next generation of advisors coming from? The current entry routes vary, but commonly people enter the sector through becoming project officers, administrator, information and guidance staff or similar occupations. As the coalition governments spending cuts hit these entry routes will drastically decline. Who else would enter the fray?
My own view is that at some point government will realise (perhaps through a bump on the head or worse, a complete drop in entrepreneurial activity) that they need funded business support, in some cases. My argument of course assumes this, it assumes that we need business advisors, coaches, mentors and the plethora of business support that’s out there. But I would say that wouldn’t I? That argument is for another day.
Any thoughts?
