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Business News


How the private sector can take a role in tackling the skills gap


By Jessica Brookes


The private sector has “a real role to play” in unlocking aspiration and addressing the skills gap across the West Midlands, the chief of Millennium Point told Greater Birmingham businesses. Abbie Vlahakis, interim chief


executive of the charity, which supports the advancements of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects, discussed the skills gap and the effects of “aspirational poverty” at the launch of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce’s (GBCC) Quarterly Business Report for Q4 of 2019 at Birmingham City University’s Curzon Building.


‘It’s not just about educating the children, it’s also about educating the parents’


She says that tackling


aspirational poverty, the lacking of aspiration in young people’s lives, is key to unlocking the skills gap blight evident in the region. Abbie said: “There are many


children in the West Midlands who do not have aspirations, for many


reasons, and reasons which can be quite complicated, and they deserve opportunity. “If we change their lives, we


change their families’ lives and their communities, and with that we can also look at the skills gap. “Because it’s not just about


educating the children, it’s also about educating the parents. Ultimately that’s where you get your aspirations from.” Abbie was part of a panel which


discussed the skills gap in detail, along with the results of the Quarterly Business Report. The report, sponsored by Birmingham City University, revealed manufacturing firms experienced a slight dampening on sales demand on the home and export front. Dr Katy Ricks, the first female


chief master at King Edward’s School’s 400-year history, was also a part of the panel. She highlighted how the school, and the Schools of King Edward Foundation, is hoping to boost the reputation of Birmingham’s education sector and ensure students are ready to work in local businesses. Dr Ricks said: “There are four


elements to what at least I am trying to lead and deliver in the school and across the foundation. “The first is breadth, a King


Transport plans need ‘careful consideration’


Changes to transport infrastructure across Birmingham will require “careful consideration”, Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) has said in response to a proposed plan. Birmingham City Council has published a draft


plan setting out its vision for the future of transport in the city. The Birmingham Transport Plan contains a set of proposed measures to guide future investment in transport. The council say it is designed to reduce


transport’s damaging impact on the environment, supporting Birmingham’s commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2030, as well as making roads safer, connecting people with new job and training opportunities, prioritising people over cars and revitalising the city centre and local centres. Raj Kandola, senior policy and patron adviser at GBCC, said: “Having been


mandated by central Government to reduce serious levels of air pollution in the city, we have worked closely with the council in helping businesses prepare for the advent of the Clean Air Zone - which is very much the first stage of the plan, and due to be implemented in summer 2020. “However, other elements of the plan such as introducing a Workplace


Parking Levy, controlled parking zones and re-routing the A38 will need careful consideration in order to minimise disruption. We will continue to work closely with members to ensure their views are reflected in the final plan.”


18 CHAMBERLINK February 2020


Speakers: Paul Faulkner (chief executive, Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and compere), Dr Katy Ricks, Abbie Vlahakis and Raj Kandola (senior policy adviser, Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce) with copies of the Chamber’s report


Edwards Foundation education is a broad education, not really focusing on early specialisation, but trying to cover full range of the curriculum. “Second, aspirational – of course


we want all of our young people to feel like opportunities are open to them and the third thing is the real


diversity of the students in the foundation. “And the last thing is a


foundation that has a very strong sense of social and civic purpose. That we are educating people not just to be brain boxes, but people who make a contribution to society through their education.”


To find out more about the report, visit www.greaterbirminghamchambers.com/research-campaigning/quarterly- business-report/


The tools to prepare for Clean Air Zone


A toolkit to prepare businesses for the introduction of a Clean Air Zone in Birmingham has been launched by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. A survey conducted by the Chamber revealed that while 77 per cent


of firms had heard of the Clean Air Zone, 64 per cent were not aware of the support available to businesses affected by its implementation. The toolkit has been produced as part of an ongoing engagement


programme conducted in partnership with Birmingham City Council ahead of the Zone’s launch in July. It was launched at the Birmingham offices of law firm Squire Patton


Boggs, with more than 60 businesses in attendance. The event featured a Q&A session with representatives from Birmingham City Council including Waseem Zaffar MBE, cabinet member for Transport & Environment and Sylvia Broadley, air quality manager - energy and transport. Senior policy and patronage advisor Raj Kandola, who has been


leading the Chamber’s Clean Air Zone activity, said: “The toolkit has been designed to raise awareness of the Zone and to give businesses the advice they need to properly prepare. There is also a whole section on the support channels available to those businesses and employees that might be affected by the programme, so I would urge all businesses to share this toolkit with their staff, their suppliers and their networks to ensure organisations and individuals are aware of the challenges and the opportunities the start of the Zone will bring.”


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