North Warwickshire businesses agree that communication is key

Employers across a range of sectors in the north of Warwickshire have identified communication as a key skill for business success.

That effective communication is viewed as very much "in demand" was clear from a meeting of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce’s North Warwickshire branch which discuss skills and the future of apprenticeships.

Marion Plant OBE, principal and chief executive of North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College, presented to the meeting and outlined how the college was working with businesses to plug the skills gap.

Firms have identified skills such as project management, planning and problem-solving as baseline skills which are required to help grow the economy. But above all, companies have highlighted communication skills as needing to be improved across the advanced manufacturing & engineering, IT & digital media, and tourism sectors.

Ms Plant also outlined her belief that the new apprenticeship levy, a major change to the way apprenticeships will be administered, is designed to give employers a greater say in the training given.

“We work hand-in-hand with businesses and we had positive feedback from two companies at the chamber meeting who have taken apprentices through our college," she said. “The skills gap and the skills shortage have been talked about for many years and apprenticeships are a great way of addressing that.

“Key sectors in this particular region include health and social care, business support services, IT, retail and transport & logistics. But across all the sectors, communication crops up again and again.

“The apprenticeship levy is changing the way apprenticeships are administered and we welcome any business to get in touch to discuss what they need to help their company grow.”

Paul Carvell, chair of the chamber’s North Warwickshire branch, believes the branch meeting was very productive and valuable to members.

“It was a very interesting meeting," he said. "The area of skills was highlighted within our Go For Growth campaign as a potential barrier to businesses expanding and Marion was very informative around the skills that firms have identified and how we might be able to solve that.

“Productivity is another issue that has been highlighted by business and bridging the skills gap is vital to that. We had a very good discussion around how training providers and businesses can work towards a solution to that.”