Attracting, developing, and retaining talent is still one of the main challenges facing North Wales businesses, according to recent research by the North Wales Regional Skills Partnership (RSP). In response, an event has been announced to allow businesses, industry leaders and professionals an opportunity to explore solutions to overcome some of the issues they face.
At the event, which will take place at Venue Cymru, Llandudno on the 26th of April, businesses will hear from experts about managing their workforce, and get valuable insights into becoming an employer of choice. The keynote speaker is Craig Weeks, Director of Operations at JCB in Wrexham.
Since Craig joined the company, it has grown and now has over 22 plants worldwide, more than 750 dealers and 11,000 employees.
Looking forward to the event, Craig said:
“I know that for a business, the workforce is its most valuable asset, and I understand the importance of developing an effective team and the challenges that come with that. I started working for JCB 29 years ago as an axle assembler – I’ve worked my way up and learnt a lot along the way. I'm excited to share my story with colleagues from North Wales, and I hope that what I say can help and even inspire others.”
As well as hearing from Craig, event speakers include Alwen Williams, Portfolio Director at Ambition North Wales and David Roberts, Chair of the North Wales Regional Skills Partnership.
David, a previous HR leader, oversaw the growth of an SME to 950 staff across 25 locations globally; he now runs The Alternative Board in North Wales supporting other SME leaders to achieve their goals.
He added:
“I'm delighted that the RSP is hosting this event for employers. As a previous HR leader, and now supporting SME business owners in an advisory capacity, I have experienced the challenges of recruiting and retaining employees across a wide range of sectors.
“This will be a fantastic opportunity for businesses to come together to learn from each other. We are all facing similar issues across many sectors – an event like this will give us a platform to discuss solutions and best practices.”
A panel discussion with representatives from the local business community and Federation of Small Businesses will also take place, and more focussed workshops will give delegates an opportunity to drill deeper into some of the main issues and get expert advice.
Hosted by the North Wales Regional Skills Partnership, the event is open to businesses of all sizes and industries that want support with recruiting, retaining, and developing employees. With numbers limited, businesses who are interested in attending are encouraged to book their place HERE
There will also be networking opportunities and a ‘meet the experts’ exhibition with organisations and institutions that support employers with their workforce challenges.
