Business leaders join Chloe Smith MP to launch business forum for Norwich
Business leaders, entrepreneurs and students joined Norwich North MP Chloe Smith today at an event to launch a new forum designed to bring business and education closer together.
The event, held at the Financial Services Skills Academy on St Andrew’s Street, was organised by City College Norwich and law firm Howes Percival LLP, and backed by local businesses including Norwich Airport and Start-rite Shoes.
Students with a wide range of backgrounds took part in the seminar which was entitled, “What the Next Generation Needs : Business, Skills and Future Government Policy”. The debate covered topics including the skills and qualifications businesses require, the perception of young people in the workplace, the need for more careers advice and the requirement from both groups for more structured work experience.
Commenting on the seminar Chloe said. “It was very positive to get the different views in the room; young people, students, entrepreneurs and established firms. It is vital for Westminster to understand what Norwich and Norfolk wants in the next generation, both in business and education and I will be taking many strong points to Parliament from today’s seminar. In a recession, it’s particularly important to have such forums for young people, businesses and politicians to talk to each other.”
City College Norwich student Georgie Rickett is in the second year of her Business Management degree course having returned to education after being made redundant as a mortgage adviser. “I thought the session today was very promising indeed. It was clear that we all wanted the same things, but we need to communicate a lot more. Students want to know more about the real world of work. Today most of us have to work while we study but that is often in the retail or leisure industries, we don’t get enough experience of the kind of workplaces we may end up in. There needs to be more flexibility in the timetable to allow students to spend longer in the workplace coupled with more career advice from colleges so that we have a better understanding of the additional skills employers want.”
Caroline Williams, Chief Executive of the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce said, “What came out of today was a willingness from both parties to communicate better at a local level and this forum could form a valuable part of that process. We need to create opportunities for young people to be more visible in the business community and for businesses to work with them to better understand their views. Equally, young people together with business need to be more forceful and more vocal in demanding more structured enterprise education.”
One of the organisers, Andrew Barnes, Managing Partner of Norwich law firm Howes Percival LLP said, “Everyone in business accepts that young people are our future and we have to invest in them, but most employers would admit that they could do it in a more structured and rewarding way. It is clear from this forum that both parties want to improve understanding and communication to help ensure young people get the best start in employment possible. I’m certain that this forum can help towards that goal.”
Dick Palmer, Principal of City College Norwich said, “Our collective future is in the hands of our young people and today we brought together City College Norwich students and local businesses to explore new ways of getting young minds engaged with wise old heads. It looks like our future is in safe hands”
The full list of groups taking part in the seminar was; City College Norwich, Howes Percival LLP, Start-rite Shoes, Norwich Airport Limited, Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, Open Youth, Open Contact, Farrows, the IOD, Richard Nash Cars Limited, Aquaterra Energy and Shortis Group.
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