Business

Outcome

A Shire that grows local businesses

Description

Supporting individual industries requires a range of activities, with some businesses benefiting from educational and informative workshops, and others benefiting more from infrastructure development.

In most advanced economies like Australia, 60%-80% of all new jobs and investment comes from growth in existing businesses. As such, it is important to support local businesses and seek to assist them to grow, creating new jobs and future investment.

Strategies

6. Facilitate and promote opportunities for business engagement, knowledge sharing and networking amongst businesses of varying sizes in The Hills.

7. Build Council’s relationship with the business community and maintain an ongoing understanding of the needs of business.

8. Implement a program of communication to disseminate information about support and best practice.

9. Deliver and promote a program of business development and training events as well as initiatives to enhance the operation and growth potential of local business.

10. Deliver specialised program support for professional services, education, medical, hospitality and business start-ups.

11. Encourage and support collaboration between industries and business associations.

12. Facilitate the connection of procurement opportunities for local businesses that encourage the use of local services and suppliers.

Key Initiatives

E. Facilitate the connection of procurement opportunities for local businesses and encourage the use of local services and suppliers.

F. Deliver a specialised education support program for start-ups and small businesses.

G. Develop a suite of information and tools that will facilitate decision making for our local businesses.

H. Promote business excellence and success stories through a business spotlight program.

I. Support business retention and expansion through a business engagement program.

People

Outcome

A Shire that invests in its people

Description

Investing in people as a strategy for economic development is to focus on our Shire's workforce and their skill development. This requires Council to work with a variety of partners including local universities, local vocational training providers and other educational providers including high schools. Through engagement with industry and industry associations, Council can start to bridge the gap between the local skills that are required and the local skills that exist in the workforce.

Additionally, Council can play a key role in attracting new workers through investments into community infrastructure and other initiatives that support the liveability of the area and make it a desirible place to live. Council can also support local businesses that are trying to recruit skilled workers from other areas through provision of information packages, digital media resources and other promotional materials that reinforce the strong sense of lifestyle and amenity that local residents and workers enjoy.

Strategies

13. Promote the Hills as a destination for additional education and training services to build capacity in the Hills workforce and promote industry development with a focus on addressing the professional skills gaps.

14. Pursue the delivery of programs, initiatives, information and resources that improve access to local employment opportunities with a focus on migrants and youth.

15. Work with schools, tertiary education providers and business groups to understand and develop career pathways across key industries.

Key Initiatives

J. Support the delivery of a capacity building program with a focus on addressing the skills gaps in priority industry sectors.

K. Support improved access to local employment opportunities with a focus on priority industry and youth.