Business News President’s Focus


In this month’s President’s Focus, Robert Elliot, the new president of Solihull Chamber, takes issue with the view that today’s younger generation is not work ready. He says business must play its part in their development, and says that during his time as president he will strive to make that happen.


their own barriers to success. I can tell you that the young people I have met in Solihull, and North


F


Worcestershire are no exception. But, I am sick of hearing: ‘they are not work ready, the schools are failing


business’. Business has a huge responsibility to work with schools to help them


deliver the curriculum, comply with directives like The Gatsby Report (which suggests a framework for the provision of good career guidance in schools), and create or support initiatives to interact with business. It’s time we took responsibility. During my time as president, I now


commit to make these opportunities available to Chamber members, raise awareness of what can be achieved with very little time input, yet resulting in huge rewards, not only for the young people but also for the individual business people (and Chamber members) making the effort. Why would I be doing this? Well, I


‘By being visible, and involved, young people will be able to recognise what the Chamber of Commerce stands for’


have two children – my son was 20 recently, my daughter is 16 and doing her GCSEs this summer. During their schooling, they have not had work placements, they have


not had mock interviews, or access to business games. The careers fairs I have attended as a parent have been uninspiring. And this is from a good academy school. But I know – because I have been personally involved


with many – that there are schools absolutely punching above their weight, and doing great things. So there’s a balance to be found, and with our collective awareness of opportunities, I believe great success beckons and commit to making it happen. While supporting local business, and local schools


and colleges, as your president I also have a responsibility to maintain the growth of the membership, and ensure it reflects the business community as a whole. But I feel we have a role to play earlier than when


young people are in business. My children know what the Chamber of Commerce is because their dad is always saying he’s ‘off there’, ‘Chamber this’, ‘been at a Chamber meeting about so-and-so’ etcetera. But some young people have in the past quizzed


me about what the Chamber does, and you will cringe at what they think ‘the Chambers of Commerce are’. By being visible, and involved, young people will


be able to recognise what the Chamber of Commerce stands for, who they represent, and what it can achieve. They will have heard of Ofsted, Ofwat, Ofgen, the


Football Association, but what they might not realise is that those organisations are often just representing their members, their consumers, their local population – sounds like the Chamber of Commerce to me.


12 CHAMBERLINK April 2019


or a number of years I have been involved in working with young people. At all age groups the young people of any community are inspirational, creative and, above all, blessed to have not created


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