Business survey deadline looming to have a say in careers, skills and employment
A major survey to give businesses a voice in shaping the future of careers, skills and employment in Warwickshire is open for a few more days.
Warwickshire County Council and the Warwickshire Skills Hub are creating a new Careers, Employment and Skills Strategy to respond to key elements of its Economic Growth Strategy and wider county strategies.
The Council has commissioned consultancy firm Mylocaleconomy to develop and deliver the strategy, working with partners including the Federation of Small Businesses, Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub and Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce to fully understand the careers, employment and skills needs of companies throughout the area.
The online survey closes on Thursday (January 30) and firms however large or small in all sectors in every part of the county from Nuneaton to Stratford and Leamington to Rugby are being encouraged to take part.
Questions to understand the challenges businesses face are included in the survey from the qualifications and skills companies need now and for the future, barriers they might have to sourcing and providing the right training to where companies turn to source the right people with the right skills.
Cllr Martin Watson, Portfolio Holder for Economy at Warwickshire County Council, said this comprehensive survey will help to determine the future direction of careers, skills and employment in Warwickshire.
“This is part of Warwickshire County Council’s Economic Growth Strategy, and we want to hear from businesses right across our area so that we have a strong Careers, Employment and Skills Strategy which sets out our ambitions and future objectives,” he said.
“The survey should only take around five minutes to complete because we don’t want to add to the workload of busy people, but we are really keen to hear from as many businesses as possible.
“We would like firms to discuss the impact of skills and recruitment shortages, their existing and future skills needs and how we can further develop careers services.
“In Warwickshire, we are being asked to play a bigger part in developing and delivering the careers, employment and skills opportunities in our area and we feel now is the right time to gauge their opinions so that we have the right strategy in place for established, new and emerging businesses in the future.
“The results of the survey will be vital in supporting businesses, residents, schools, colleges and universities to achieve our key existing and future objectives in careers, employment and skills in Warwickshire.”
Corin Crane, Chief Executive of Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “Skills remains one of the biggest barriers to economic growth and this is something that we have seen through our work on the Local Skills Improvement Plan over the past couple of years.
“This survey can bring even more businesses in Warwickshire into the conversation on skills, to understand their needs and help decision-makers to work with firms and providers to further develop solutions that meet the needs of the regional economy.”
Craig Humphrey, Chief Executive of Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub, added: “We recognise that this has been a tough and uncertain period for many businesses particularly with the increase in National Insurance contributions for employers in the Autumn Budget.
“This survey is a great opportunity for companies to help determine the future delivery of skills which companies need from employees not just now but in the future particularly to meet the ever-changing demands of technology.”
Lee Osborne, Development Manager at Federation of Small Businesses in Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull, said: “Small businesses are at the heart of Warwickshire’s economy, and their input is vital in shaping a future that works for everyone.
“Access to appropriately skilled staff is a challenge consistently highlighted by small firms, making this strategy a welcome step toward addressing skills gaps and building a workforce ready for the future.
“We strongly encourage all small businesses to share their recruitment and training challenges to ensure the strategy supports their growth and helps to foster a thriving local economy.”
To take part in the survey, please click here: https://survey.zohopublic.eu/zs/iKCECZ
