22 HOTSPOTS
dedicated to raising the prosperity and profile of the borough. Future Leaders is hosted at the Victoria Mill campus, with the university partnering with the bondholders on the scheme.
It challenges and develops participants both personally and professionally, and looks to instil passion and pride in future leaders about working and living in Burnley.
Michael Barker Continued from Page 21
“It’s a real attempt being made to address those skills gaps and to get young people into placements, but also to get the schools to push it and develop it.
“And then it is about linking it through the pathways to the college and to the university, so there is that sense that people can look around Burnley and say, ‘There are futures here, there are things to do, there is a way of getting educated and I don’t need to leave the area if I don’t want to’.”
He adds: “We do a lot of CPD, a lot of continual Kate Wallace
need to bridge and it is becoming increasingly challenging to compete with the bigger cities.
“I always believe that growing your own is the best way forward, and I think Burnley is doing that very well and it continues to do so.”
Michael Barker, creative director at marketing agency Root Fifty-Two, says the gap between Burnley and its big city neighbours is reducing when it comes to attracting workers, with the lifestyle the town offers playing its part.
He says: “People look at the work first and then they look at the area, and I think that gap is really reducing.”
I always believe that growing your own is the
best way forward, and I think Burnley is doing that very well and it continues to do so
training, and that move towards providing training that is much faster, more responsive, not necessarily credit bearing, is something we are looking at.”
Burnley College is playing its part. Earlier this year it was awarded funding from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to deliver an innovative cyber project, preparing individuals entering the workforce for the challenges of the digital age. It is just one example of how it is looking to deliver the skills Burnley needs.
Kate Wallace, interim principal at the college, says links with the university are important: “We work collaboratively as an education system in relation to our curriculum design, looking at the skills needs and asking who is best to deliver what and how we can provide those pathways to progression.
“We’re supporting each other in ensuring that the skills need is met, which is working really well.”
She says the investments in the town, including developing the university campus, have made a difference, which can also be seen in the college. Kate explains: “Our travel-to-learn area is so wide, the number of learners that are coming to the college from Greater Manchester and from places like Halifax.
“We’re then working with others to provide them with opportunities, to say to them. ‘You’re travelling to Burnley for your education – you can then go onto the university and then stay here to work. We’re really seeing that, people coming to Burnley and being really proud.”
Lukman Patel, chief executive at Burnley Council, says the borough faces the challenge of maintaining and growing a ‘talent pipeline’ to meet the needs of its businesses.
He says: “There is a massive skills gap that we
Not being a big city-based firm can also act as a plus when pitching for work. He says: “We won a client that had worked with big city centre firms before and they weren’t getting the kind of attention they wanted.”
The Future Leaders programme has been developed to help retain the area’s young talent. The 12-month development programme is aimed at people under the age of 30 who work at a Burnley Bondholder member business or organisation.
Bondholders is an acclaimed partnership
Lukman Patel says: “Future Leaders has been really successful.
“It’s the third cohort this year and the projects they’ve done are absolutely phenomenal. It is the only one of its kind in the country and when you speak to other areas, they’re really envious of it.”
He points to the success of the council’s street scene officer Alex Brown, who studied for a degree apprenticeship at the University of Lancashire and was also selected for Future Leaders. She has just been named as a ‘Rising Star’ at prestigious awards recognising excellence across local government.
Mr Patel says: “That just shows that we give the people the opportunity, we pass on the baton meaningfully. Because everybody talks about passing the baton on to the next generation.”
Joanne Hindley, Burnley born sales director at Lancashire Business View, believes that when it comes to persuading young people they have a future in the borough, there is a need to start delivering that message to children at primary school age.
She says: “If we can engage at that level in terms of both teachers and students, then we’d be getting those messages out early that Burnley’s not the place that you leave, it’s the place that you build. You build your family, you build your home, you build your career.”
Tim Webber, chairman and managing director of Barnfield Construction, says: “The collaboration between Barnfield, Burnley Council and the university has positioned Burnley as a dynamic hub for higher education and community growth.”
PRESENT:
Michael Barker, Root Fifty-Two Mark Crabtree, AMS Neve Neil Evans, Veka Stephen Greenwood, Farleys Joanne Hindley, Lancashire Business View Kate Ingram, Burnley Council Wesley Kellow, Burnley Leisure Laurence O’Connor, Financial Affairs Lukman Patel, Burnley Council Daniel Waller, University of Lancashire Kate Wallace, Burnley College
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