Chamber Network launches campaign to support the people at the heart of local business community

By Jamie Hill - 27 September 2019

BusinessNetworking

Business West Chambers of Commerce and the wider British Chambers Network have launched a new campaign to celebrate, support and develop the most important part of any business – its people.

Business West and Chambers across the UK will be working with government, academics, business communities and employees, to make the UK a more productive, attractive and modern place to work – at a time of critical levels of skills shortages and weak productivity.

Business West research shows that 40 percent of firms in the West of England have experienced difficulties finding the right person for the role. Of these, 19 percent of firms said that the hardest roles to fill were skilled manual/technical, whereas 11 percent said that they struggled most to fill professional/managerial. In both categories, firms blamed a shortage of applicants with the appropriate skills or qualifications.

The skills shortages identified by Business West in the West of England risks putting a brake on business competitiveness, growth opportunities and productivity, so addressing the issue is crucial.

Investing in talent will not only benefit people but local business communities and the wider economy.

Against this background, the campaign will have three key chapters:

Shaping policy through the work of a new Workplace Training and Development Commission

- Showcasing the range of diverse career paths on offer in towns and cities across the UK through Business Showcase Days

- Championing a flexible working culture by encouraging firms to adapt their working practices in order to attract new and diverse talent

Spokesperson Phil Smith, Managing Director of Business West, said: “At the heart of every great business is great people. Finding, retaining and training talent is a core issue for firms of all sizes and sectors. Chambers understand how important it is for businesses to have access to a flexible and skilled talent pool, so getting the training and development system right in this country is absolutely crucial.

“The Chamber Network is made up of a diverse and innovative collection of local businesses, and there are so many great career opportunities in the West of England. This campaign is all about bringing together business, government and employees to ensure local and national economies are attractive and productive places to work.”

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