Katie our employer service manager has been really busy out and about!

It’s been a really busy couple of weeks, in a great way!

Katie has been out and about at events, meeting brilliant people, and having some genuinely inspiring conversations about skills: why they matter, how they support business growth, and why they should be part of every organisation’s thinking.

She's not always the best at keeping LinkedIn updated… but she does like to shout about the good stuff going on, so here’s a little update on her shenanigans over the past week!

✨ South Glos Business Show (last Wednesday)

Great to catch up with both familiar and new faces! There were some great shout outs to Apprenticeships during the Employment, Business & Skills panel, and it was clear from the audience questions that there’s real interest in how Apprenticeships can support both young people and business growth.

✨ “You’re Hired! Apprenticeships for Your Business” - last Thursday evening!

 Katie had the pleasure of presenting this session in partnership with YTKO GROUP LIMITED and Share Bristol - Library of Things. We heard brilliant Apprenticeship success stories from Bristol Beer Factory, whose two Apprentices have even gone on to create and brew their own beer - Second Nature (get yourself a pint of that!). It was a great mix of conversations and questions, and so encouraging to see so many people genuinely engaged in what Apprenticeships can mean for their future workforce. Big shout out to Batch Cook Club CIC for providing the tastiest treats!

✨ South Glos Economic Forum — Tuesday

Another fantastic discussion around skills. The Apprenticeship flag was flying high again! It was really encouraging to hear the emphasis on making opportunities accessible for all, particularly as the region’s growth strategy aims to create 72,000 new jobs in the coming years.

Across all these events, one thing really stood out to Katie

: SMEs are the backbone of our economy. With 98% of businesses being SMEs, it’s essential that our skills conversations (especially around young people, talent pipelines and future growth) really focus on supporting them.