Businessschool is focused on the recruitment fight whichliesahead

Theheadofaschool’sambitious business department wantsto transformitintoa“national asset” as he laid outhis planstohelptackle therecruitment challenges companies arecurrently facing

Areyou able to access appropriateeducation andtrainingservices in yourlocal area?And areskills shortages forcingyou to change the wayyou work?

Theseare justsome of thecrucial questionsShropshireChamber of Commerce arelooking to answer as part of aproject called theLocal SkillsImprovementPlan.

Thechamber hasbeenselected by theDepartmentfor Education to undertakethisworkacrossthe Marches area,which coversShropshire, Telford& Wrekin,and Herefordshire. Themission is to gain a better understandingofthe skills trainingrequirements over thenext 3-5years in specificsectors,includingengineering,manufacturing, professional services,construction, environmentaltechnologies, and health andsocialcare.

RosieBeswick,the Marches LSIPsProject Manager, said:“We arelooking to do this througha combination of questionnaires,text polls, andone-to-oneinterviews with ourresearchers, allintotal confidence. We need to engage with as many employersaspossible, to ensure this vitalinformation-gatheringexercise is relevant,and truly reflective of thewhole economy. The more informationweare abletoput into ourreport, themorebenefit businesses standtoreceive from it “The LSIP projecthas been sparked by anew Government WhitePaper whichsetsout an ambitious plan to putemployers firmly at theheart of theskillssystem. It is absolutelycrucial,inthe current economic climate, that businesses andworkers have access to the skillstheyneed,tothriveand progress. Many employersare telling us that this is simplynot thecase.

“Thingscan only change forthe better if decision-makershad a clearunderstanding of currentgaps in trainingprovision,barrierstoaccessingtraining, andthe suitability of theeducation curriculum to prepare students forthe 21st century business world

“Our aimistocreatean environment forthe sharingofbestpractice to create thebestpossibleoutcomes forbusinessesand workers across allcorners of Shropshire,Telford & Wrekin andHerefordshire.”

Businesses whocan find afew minutes to help with research can emailRosieatr.beswick@shropshire-chamber.co.uk,oremail lsip@shropshire.chamber.co.uk

Darren Blanch, whobecamedirector of Wrekin College’sBusiness School in September,wants to boost theemployability skills of itsstudents.Itcomesas many businesses acrossawiderange of sectorshave reported strugglesto fill jobvacancies as well as retain staff.

Mr Blanch said:“Ithought this wasafantastic opportunitytofurther developabusinessschoolwhich is similar to auniversity business school,withits ownset of agendas about promoting employability and boosting theemployability of our students

“Itisnot just aboutpromoting employability within ourstudents though,but also by identifyingwhat thoseemployability skillsneedtobe forlocal employers andeventually national employers as well

“WithindaysofstartingI was talkingtolocal employers whowere saying they were having majorproblems with recruitment, particularly in Shropshire whereyoung people go to university or do an apprenticeship andoftendon’t come back They really struggletoget people with therightskills.”