John Howell MP

21 FEB 2012

New Initiative for Local Business

I have launched a new initiative aimed at ensuring that local businesses have the skills for growth and a strong economic future. The initiative, which is supported by The Henley College and the Oxfordshire Local Economic Partnership (LEP) will start with a major event to be held at The Henley College on the evening of Thursday 3 May 2012.

The purpose of this event will be to help identify the skills businesses see themselves as needing and showing them where and how they can get them. At the height of the recession I organised a number of events in Henley and across the constituency aimed at helping our local businesses survive. What we now need is to help our businesses prepare for growth. At the heart of this is ensuring that they have or know how to get the right skills.

The Government has made considerable amounts of money available, for example, to support apprenticeships. It has also taken significant steps to help cut red tape, reduce corporation tax, expand loan guarantees and provide cash incentives to take on apprentices. However, we want to hear from business whether there is more that can be done. For example, running a small business is like being head cook and bottle-washer. What sort of apprenticeships would best prepare someone for this sort of business?

The Minister for Skills, Rt Hon John Hayes MP, said:

"I warmly welcome John Howell's initiative in the Henley constituency to help ensure local businesses have the skills for growth and a strong economic future. We have to ensure that the sorts of small and medium sized businesses which characterise this constituency can enjoy the benefits that apprentices can offer– including improved productivity and the chance to build a better-skilled workforce. I commend John's initiative in recognising the special needs of small businesses and in getting them to talk to us about how we can help.

This initiative complements my appointment of social entrepreneur and jeweller Jason Holt to head-up an employer-led review to encourage small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to hire an apprentice. It is vital that we make the apprenticeship route as accessible as possible for SMEs."

The picture of the skills training available is often complex. Tom Espley, principal of The Henley College, commented:

"We can add real value to this initiative as the leading local provider of skills training by providing a route map for businesses as to what is already available and helping to put shape to what might be required for the future."

Feedback from business will be a major feature of the event. This will complement the work already being undertaken by the Oxfordshire Local Economic Partnership (LEP) to find out what are the barriers to growth and what are the issues around skills and recruitment. Martin Dare-Edwards, Chairman of the LEP, said:

"Through the LEP we are helping businesses to flourish and to deliver the entrepreneurs of tomorrow. I am delighted to support John's initiative and to hear from business itself in and around Henley what it wants for the future."

I want to encourage our local businesses to take up the opportunity of apprenticeships and skills training. These opportunities are there no matter the size of the business. Apprenticeships are about giving individuals the skills they need for the future and about giving business the skilled workforce it needs to support success. I hope that this initiative will help our local businesses prepare for growth.

The Best of Henley are supporting the event and will help to organise communication about the event to local business. Phil Chappell of ther Best of Henley said he supported the initiative because

"As the economy begins to recover, and grow again, it is imperative that SME business owners have the skills and knowledge to enable them to take advantage of the opportunities that will arise"

Details of the event and how to book a place will be made available in the middle of March.

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