Welcome from WCC chief executive Monica Fogarty
Hello and welcome to the April edition of Warwickshire Means Business.
This month we are delighted to announce a £1.5million investment by the County Council in apprenticeships. This new funding will enable our Warwickshire Skills Hub to continue and enhance their excellent work around apprenticeships, to the benefit of both young career-seekers and employers looking to fill their skills gaps.
We also feature the heartwarming story of one young man, Craig Martin, who found a fulfilling career and is now helping others after being inspired by time on a break away camp, part of the Warwickshire Brighter Futures programme.
There are other success stories to celebrate. On its first birthday, the Mill Street Exchange at 1 Mill Street, Leamington, can reflect with great pride on a year of helping many small businesses with support and advice.
A year on from receiving support from the Survive, Sustain & Grow programme, Bake 180 is flourishing. And we report how D’May Entertainment and Engineers Insight are going from strength to strength with Project Warwickshire and Business Ready support respectively.
For those of you who enjoy podcasts, we have a treat! Please have a listen to Dave Ayton-Hill (WCC’s Assistant Director of Communities) and Sheridan Sulskis (Chief Executive of Coventry and Warwickshire Reinvestment Trust) discussing the range of support available from the County Council and its partners. It is part of our 'Let's Talk Warwickshire' podcast series.
We bring the customary comprehensive round-up of Upcoming Events. One particular date for the diary is May 13th when the ‘Interactive Futures – Gateway to Games’ event will be held in Leamington. ‘Silicon Spa’ continues to flourish but it will always need young people coming through with the requisite skills and this free-to-attend event will give lots of insights and information about how to find and take opportunities in this sector.
As always, there is so much going on in our vibrant business community and I hope you enjoy reading about it. Warwickshire Means Business is here to keep you informed and next month our May issue will be a green-led edition, packed with features, stories and links which illustrate how making our economy green makes sense both in business and environmental terms.
MONICA