Creating a workforce for the future

Creating a workforce for the future was the topic for the latest breakfast meeting hosted by a Telford business network.

Telford Business Partnership held the event at The Park House Hotel in Shifnal, and delegates heard from three guest speakers who all discussed the best way to support the next generation of workers.

Over 40 people attended the meeting, and delegates were joined by two apprentices on the day too – Oliver Stevens and Katarina Rojanovska from Telford College of Arts and Technology.

Chairman Jan Minihane said: “We explored the best ways of bridging the gap between schools and businesses, from school through to employment, and the benefits such a pro-active approach could bring to business.

“We heard about the multitude of opportunities for young people as they finish school including the structure of the apprenticeships system, as well as opportunities for graduates. It was a great event and our members and guests were very interested to hear about the options available to young people when it comes to preparing for the world of work.

“There were some real surprises in store when it came to the opportunities and initiatives out there, and many of our delegates said they would be exploring the topic further and looking into the support available to help build a workforce for the future.”

Guest speakers on the day were:

Sue Marston from the Skills Delivery Team at Telford & Wrekin Council who discussed bridging the school/business gap

Dale Kynaston from Telford College of Arts and Technology on apprenticeships

Michele Roberts of the University of Wolverhampton on graduate apprenticeships

“We were particularly pleased to see so many guests on the day who were visiting us for the first time, and we’re looking forward to welcoming them as new members,” said Jan.