Coventry and Warwickshire businesses to discuss local labour market at symposium

Business leaders and employers from across Coventry and Warwickshire are poised to attend a symposium to discuss opportunities and challenges in the local labour market.

Coventry & Warwickshire’s Local Labour Market Symposium will be held at Warwick Trident College, which is part of WCG, on Thursday, April 18, and will see businesses discuss recruitment and skills.

Businesses are being invited to attend the event which is a partnership between WCG (Warwickshire College Group), Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

It is expected to attract around 40 senior leaders, HR experts and learning and development professionals.

Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce will be providing an update on the British Chambers of Commerce People and Work, which launched earlier this year.

The Chamber will outline the work it is undertaking across its networking in the people, skills and labour market within the report but also as part of the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIF).

Sukhy Carey, from CIPD, will be providing an update on the regional labour market, with Lianne Payne, Head of Employment Law at Askews Legal LLP, also speaking at the event.

CIPD will be hosting a HR hot topics discussion as part of the symposium, with attendees set to discuss a range of topics including workplace culture, flexible working and the impact of artificial intelligence (AI).

Amy Brann, Founder of Synaptic Potential, will be keynote speaker for the event and will be discussing how businesses can make the best environment for productivity.

Navneet Rai, Business Development Manager at WCG, said: “Businesses across the region are continuing to face challenges in the local labour market and the practice of knowledge sharing with peers is one way to help overcome those challenges.

“We’re proud to be working with our partners to deliver and host this event at Warwick Trident College, which will help employers to navigate the ever-changing job market and gain information about how to access the skills they need to help grow their business.

“We look forward to continuing to work to together to deliver events such as this in the future.”

Matthew Hammersley, HR Manager at Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “When we’ve spoken to businesses over the past couple of years, the labour market and the way it has changed has been one of their top concerns.

“The Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) is making positive strides in this area and it is great to come together at an event like this to discuss the ongoing challenges but also look at some of the solutions too.”

Phil Ingle, Co-Chair of the branch of the CIPD in Coventry and Warwickshire, said: “Current business conversations are frequently featuring talk of how, despite all our technology, we still rely on people.

“This event will look at the current state of the labour market and is strongly aligned with the CIPD’s purpose of better work and working lives for all. It will provide a valuable forum for discussing current issues, and allow synergy between the networks of the branch of the CIPD in Coventry and Warwickshire with that of the Chamber of Commerce.

“We encourage our members to come to events – and especially one which is ‘in the room’ – to engage with the major topics involving people at work, while building their networks.”

Coventry & Warwickshire’s Local Labour Market Symposium will be held from 9.30am to 1pm on Thursday, April 18 at Warwick Trident College.

Businesses are invited to reserve a space at the event via Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/coventry-warwickshires-local-labour-market-symposium-tickets-838501098357