Kent business community continues to be strong and resilient

to ensure the Kent business community continues to be strong, cohesive and resilient.

A new survey by the British Chambers of Commerce shows the urgency for the Government to reset trade relations within the EU is increasing. It is vital that all the red tape for international trade is eased to ensure the UK’s economy can recover and grow. Following the Budget, many businesses are reducing their investment in staff as business confidence has been hit hard. We need the Government’s support for our SMEs.

One of the Chamber’s key strengths is its community and we are constantly learning from each other. In the Big Interview, Paul Duckworth, Founder and Creative Director of Brandspace Media, talks about why branding is absolutely vital for any business. He argues that without taking care of your brand, you are setting yourself up to fail and he shares his insights into the marketing industry.

Upskilling and bridging the skills gap is as much on Kent’s agenda as the rest of the country and in this edition, we take a look at where the skills shortages are in the county, ways employers can work with other organisations to bridge the gaps, and the learning and development trends of 2025.

Traditionally, courses require a considerable time and cost commitment, even if they are supported by an employee’s organisation, but the L&D landscape in the months ahead is prioritising micro learning programmes using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and immersive learning tools through either virtual or augmented reality.

Moving away from the traditional classroom learning environment means individuals can target the specific areas they wish to upskill and also choose micro learning sessions which are informative but can be squeezed into a much smaller amount of time. One to keep an eye on!

Another thing to keep an eye on is our website for all our upcoming events to sign up for. We always have a range of face-to-face and virtual events, as well as webinars on topics which appeal to our members.

Join us in March for the Skills 25 summit at The Mercure Great Danes Hotel in Maidstone, which is sure to be a very informative and worthwhile event. There is also a webinar on trading in Singapore coming up and a networking special to mark International Women’s Day.

I look forward to catching up with you all at one of our next events.

Tudor Price Chief Executive, Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce