Welcome to the Norfolk Chambers podcast, in this episode Haze Carver is with Carole Burman, Managing Director and Founder of MAD-HR, and Charlotte Bate, Director of MAD-HR.
As Managing Director and Founder of MAD-HR, Carole has over 30 years of experience working in the world of HR. She prides herself on her ability to help clients grow their business and attract, retain and engage talent by building a positive employer brand. Charlotte has worked as an HR Professional, Trainer and Coach for over 20 years and has a wealth of experience in delivering transformational HR support to businesses of all shapes and sizes, whilst always working with honesty and integrity. “HR is in our DNA, between us we have over 150 years of experience” says Carole.
With a host of nominations and awards across Norfolk and Suffolk for 2022, they put their success down to ‘being great problem solvers’ and say of their team; “when you’re working with a team as incredible as ours, it’s an absolute joy and privilege”.
When your team is motivated they will offer your customers unbeatable levels of service and generate more profit.
HR is about so much more than ‘hiring, firing and retiring’. At MAD-HR we will help your business thrive in today’s competitive marketplace by recruiting and retaining talented individuals and effectively manage any challenges along the way.
Welcome to our Norfolk Chambers podcast, in this episode Haze Carver AKA The Zinger chats with tech whizz and Director Jason Carlton and Business Development Manger James Fowler, of Uptech.
As one of our Strategic Partners, Uptech work closely with the Norfolk Chambers, James is involved in our Norfolk Knowledge Hub, contributing Uptech’s knowledge, skills and expertise freely to everyone who uses the Hub.
Jason discusses what’s new in tech and how upcoming innovations will re-define our workplaces, the resilience and strength of his team and how their core values are pivotal to their success.
Your Trusted IT Partner and Expert in Managed IT Security Services
We believe that every business should have an IT system, that enables them to be more productive and to be more profitable. But even more importantly we want to make the lives of the Business owner and their staff (they use the IT more) easier and more enjoyable.
In todays’ podcast Haze Carver chats to Rebecca Headden, Co Founder of R13, an incredible recruitment business based right here in Norwich, Bex is also an active member on the Norfolk Chambers Co.next Board, supporting young professionals in Norfolk.
Bex talks on the challenges of lockdown, with clients fighting hybrid working, working with the changes to work patterns, rethinking the work/life balance and the decisions for clients around furloughing staff. From expanding the business, to hiring challenges and how they’ve managed to break through and find people in a really tough market for their clients.
Only the highest quality people, with the greatest potential for prolonged success within your organisation, get the call. Your only difficulty is going to be choosing the candidate you like the most.
Welcome to the Norfolk Chambers podcast, in todays’ podcast Haze Carver, AKA The Zinger chats to Alison Sefton, Head of Norwich High School for girls. Alison has an impressive background, serving in the armed forces and a passionate believer for wellbeing and women’s health.
In this episode you’ll hear the passion Alison has for the school’s wellbeing initiative, the Big Sister programme of peer support and on being recognised for the TES Independent School Awards Wellbeing initiative of the year award in 2021. From opening their new EYFS hub in September, to their F24 Greenpower racing team winning the Best Newcomer Award at Hethel test track.
At Norwich High School, we believe passionately in putting girls first. We give a girl the very best opportunities to find her strengths, explore the whole breadth of subject options, and tailor all that we do around her needs as she develops into a young woman. We are a large enough school to provide rich opportunities, but yet small enough that every girl is known and valued. We are ambitious for every girl, whatever her interests, and we give her a wealth of opportunities to discover new avenues.
Welcome to the Norfolk Chambers podcast, in today’s episode Haze Carver is chatting with Mark White, The LinkedIn Professional.
Did you know that LinkedIn’s biggest demographic is age 25-35?
In this episode, Mark discusses insights and advice, and how LinkedIn can work better for you and your team. From dwell time, voice messaging to training your home page – this is a brilliant podcast if you are looking to increase your LinkedIn presence.
Mark has trained over 500 businesses, over 13 years working with companies, teams and individuals to help them match their business needs and opportunities with all that LinkedIn offers … essentially unlocking the opportunities that exist to start more meaningful conversations, advance more sales opportunities and increase visibility & marketing.
Welcome to our Norfolk Chambers podcast, In todays’ podcast Haze Carver, AKA The Zinger talks to chat to Lizzy Dring, Head of Corporate Events at Huxley Events.
Lizzy talks about, ‘bringing teams together is our absolute speciality! Whether this is in a team-building environment through an engaging activity that really gets people to work together, improve communication and achieve their goals, to helping make celebrations so special!Successes included hosting over 100 virtual team experiences for businesses across the globe (including Australia, America as well as for teams based in different countries).
Supporting the Norfolk Chambers with their B2B Exhibition which was one of the biggest business events in Norfolk in 2021.
According to projections, by 2030, 20% or less of the population will be grossly underqualified for their positions. Consequently, many people may find themselves working less productively, feeling less satisfied with their jobs, not gaining access to the right training, or even losing their jobs entirely.
The skills gap is widening at different paces within each industry and caused by various factors that impact them, such as a lack of investments from the government or employers, Brexit & pandemic situations or by fear of digital automations that “kill” off sustainable positions in the workplace.
Some of major highlights for skills challenges are:
Career growth and staff supply are limited,
Pay difference within sectors,
Lack of engagement with colleges/uni,
Apprenticeship programmes not appealing,
Rural areas hard to retain and recruit,
Not enough local trainings in rural areas leading to talents to relocate,
Qualifications aren’t always the key to success,
Work experience is meaningful and needs more buy in from employers,
Lots of groups around doing the “same thing” creating confusion amongst training & skills.
In this article, we are looking at the main sectors facing skills gap challenges and how these could be answered for a more stable future to the young talents entering the workforce.
Manufacturing & Engineering
According to a survey mentioned by themanufacturing.com in April 2022, the main reasons why manufacturing industries are experiencing skills shortages are insufficient involvement of manufacturing in technical education; lack of opportunities in modern manufacturing and engineering; and a poor interest in manufacturing and engineering.
It also shows that the majority of young people are less interested in the manufacturing industry as part of their career path or growth. There are concerns about automation where robots are the sustainable solution for many companies, replacing staff as technology progresses. Which makes young workers wonder about the long-term commitment to this line of work.
In the engineering industry, young workers may struggle to find the right training. This is because of technological advancements becoming more and more regulated within businesses (e.g. ISO 9000).
Manufacturing and engineering industries are not dying industries but only struggling in finding the right skills. What could be beneficial to businesses, is having the right training provided as well as learning from employees that already have the right skillsets.
Finance & Business
According to FinTechFutures.com, the main reported soft skill gaps in the finance industry are digital and technology skills. In the world of automation in the goal to remove repetitive tasks, the future of accountancy might well become fully AI-controlled. Many experienced accountants report that tasks are now automated and controlled by emerging softwares, becoming more and more challenging to catch up with digital skills.
Although the goal of AI is to give more brain space to focus on fulfilling tasks a human can work on, many young skilled individuals find it challenging to keep up with the new technology & demand from the companies. Or a fear of being replaced by an AI-robot altogether.
New sustainable trainings would make the young generation more certain and prepare for the future of digital skills & demands in the finance industry.
Construction
Although similar to the challenges Manufacturing & Engineering face, the construction industry finds it difficult to source skills. Projects at scales are facing a demand influx since a few years, now facing skills shortage. It is becoming difficult to attract talents and meet the inflated salaries for long-term projects.
The construction industry is also facing a unique challenge when it comes to finding the right demographic to fill in positions. It is admitted that a certain type of demographic (middle-aged men) will be preferred for the positions which restricts the pool of choice to the employer. If the demographic gap was closed and would consider different demographic in the industry (e.g. women), it could solve a large chunk of the skills shortage on the market.
Transporation & Logistics
Since Brexit, UK faced a significant skills shortage when EU-workers returned to their home countries. There have been campaigns set by the government to fight against this crisis, but skills shortage remains an issue to this day.
Additional to the Brexit issue, the Calais Crisis and other political challenges are amongst factors why it’s proven difficult to retain skilled drivers in the industry. There is big battle of image and standard that this industry needs to fight for.
Attracting young workers into this career path should starts with directing to the right training & access the industry for all demographics. Although private industries can offer larger salaries and retain their talents in this way, it is proven more difficult for the public sector.
Energy Sector inc offshore wind
With the UK government target of becoming Net Zero by 2050, it is estimated that 200,000 workers will need training to fill in the skills shortage in order to meet the target. Skills from oil & gas can be transferrable, making it easier for some companies to make the switch, but as projects are booming, the skills gap is felt for many companies.
Similar to transportation & logistics challenge, hospitality is facing a shortage of EU workers since Brexit. EU-workers in the UK accounted for more than 42% in the hospitality sector and has come down to 28% since, creating the skills gap we are now facing. However, it is not news that this sector is facing highest turnover of staff, positioning this sector as the least appealing for long-term career choice.
Many young people look at hospitality as an entry-level to their careers, deemed as low skilled jobs with the lowest salaries on the market with little possibility of growth. There are no dedicated education towards hospitality, making it difficult for employers to find the right talents and retaining them.
It has been pointed out that the government should relax requirements for immigrants to work in this sector, making it easy on external talents to enter the job market and close the skills gap where possible.
Communication is also the main skills gap challenge employers find. Recruits might not have the knowledge about how to handle a customer-centric situation or fail to adopt a business etiquette. Because there are no regulated trainings towards communication for hospitality, it is hard to find the right talents that will represent the company to their customers.
Health care
According to the UK Commissions for Employment and Skills (UKCES), “the UK population is growing and ageing which is likely to lead to a 20% increase in demand for residential care, home care, day centres and meals for decades to come. However, the health and social care sectors have relatively low rates of innovation and investment compared to other sectors.” [PDF download]
Since the pandemic and the rise in scandals with pay freeze and low investment in the sector, young talents are not looking at the health sector as a safe environment to grow their career in. With the right trainings & investments, there are ways to retain talents and upskill existing workers.
The improvement of communication skills generates an obvious shift in how staff members interact toward patients. Staff members exhibit greater empathy, greater sensitivity to patient cues, and superior questioning techniques. Evidence suggests that long-term change is maintained.
In Conclusion
Skills & talent shortages are widening in most industries, with the majority struggling with communication & digital soft skills. In recent years, the Brexit & the pandemic have been the main culprits for these shortages, leaving the UK with less individuals available on the market.
Some sectors also struggle with skills awareness and lack of available specialised trainings to fill in most demanding positions. With the right investments from the government and the right institutions in place, there are ways to help the young generation in embracing the innovation in the working place and retaining them.
Is there something that we’ve missed? Is your company seeing different challenges we haven’t mentioned here?
Feel free to raise your voice and become part of the skills gap solutions in East Anglia by filing in this employer form: https://form.jotform.com/223474490001043
Nova Fairbank, Chief Executive | Norfolk Chambers of Commerce
“We are so pleased to welcome such an experienced and knowledgeable group of business and education leaders to our LSIP Board. The LSIP is a fantastic opportunity to bring employers and providers closer together and, through greater collaboration, make a difference to the local skills agenda for Norfolk and Suffolk.”
John Dugmore, Chief Executive | Suffolk Chambers of Commerce
“Suffolk Chamber of Commerce has been involved in shaping the LSIP programme for nearly two years, so this first Norfolk & Suffolk LSIP board meeting represents an important milestone in embedding the business voice into future skills planning cross the two counties.”
Dean Pierpoint, Project Manager | Norfolk Chambers of Commerce
“After many weeks of planning and discussion it was great to get the first Board meeting in the diary. I am sure with the breadth of knowledge on skills from education providers and public sector organisations as well as input from the business community we will be able to shape the local skills improvement plan to have a positive effect on the skills landscape in the region. The team are now looking forward to engaging with the business community for their views on skills!”
Have you ever wondered if your business could sustain itself without the right people? Considered outsourcing personnel to close the skills gaps within your company? Have your employees experienced a drop in morale due to gaps in your workforce?
Skills shortages can have a major and wide-ranging influence on people and organisations. When you have a discrepancy between the skills present in the workforce and the skills needed for the job, then skills gaps arise.
The consequences of this soon become apparent. It can impair an individual’s ability to advance in their job and result in lower productivity and competitiveness. Additionally, organisations may have trouble finding and keeping top employees, which could result in missed business opportunities and workload increase for existing employees.
We’ve listed below the most common impacts businesses experience with skills gap.
#1 – Slow business growth
Not having the right people or talent in place could slow the growth of your business, or see you struggle to deliver your service or product to the expected standards. Which, in turn, impacts your revenue and expectations when it comes to your business ambition. This can create doubt within your workforce in the future of the company, leading to drop in motivation or need for a change in career.
#2 – Struggling to meet delivery expectations
Maintaining your business’ services when there’s a skill gap can be a slippery slope to failure. Staff turnover or difficulties to keep up with the demand can also be factors in a skills shortage. Technology, demand, and processes evolve all the time, and it can be challenging to keep your staff up to date or evolve their positions to meet new demands.
#3 – Difficulty in competing
If your business is in a competitive industry, you’ll find that skill shortage can put you in a difficult position against your competitors. While some companies can invest in internal training or in the right talents, this may not be true for all businesses.
#4 – Depending too much on outsourcing
Outsourcing came be a great solution for your business, but if your operations depend heavily on this, it can lead to an unnecessary stress on both your team and your clients. There are cases where some businesses are nervous taking on new contracts or feel in a vulnerable position because they can’t rely on outsourcing or feel limited with costs and availability.
#5 – Workload and stress increase within the workplace
When your resources are limited within your business, you may find yourself giving your existing employees more work. In turn, this can increase stress within the workplace with the potential to impact staff morale and increase dissatisfaction.
#6 – Can’t attract or retain the right talent
Sometimes, skills gap can have a very different impact where the company doubts its capabilities of attracting the right talent. For example, if skilled people decline a company’s offer, that company may begin to question its offering, entering a vicious circle of low staff moral and slow business growth.
How your business can overcome these impacts
There are various ways in which you can lift your business’ skills and staff morale whilst retaining the right talent. You can read our article here to find out more about what you can action near you.
Are apprenticeships the way to close skills gap in the UK?
Are you finding it difficult to find the perfect person for your job role? Maybe the skills needed are too niche, too technical, or you may be sceptical about hiring people with less experience for that position.
With the right guidance and teaching, a person with less experience might have exactly what it takes for the job. Considering an apprentice that can grow within that job role might be the way to go.
There are several benefits when considering an apprentice. Whilst it may require more resources and time from your company, the outcome could outweigh alternative solutions for closing that skills gap.
What is an apprenticeship?
Apprenticeship is a way to learn by doing.
It’s a type of paid-for training program that provides hands-on learning and practical knowledge from within an active company. It gives apprentices access to professionals in the industry, opening their network and putting them on the radar within the industry.
Apprenticeships usually involve a formal agreement between the employer and the apprentice, where the apprentice will receive mentorship alongside following an approved study programme. This means they’ll gain a nationally recognised qualification at the end of their apprenticeship.
Apprenticeships can last anywhere from a few months to a few years, depending on the programme and the apprentice’s progress.
For an employer, the benefits of employing an apprentice include:
A cost-effective way to develop new skills and knowledge within the workplace
An opportunity to recruit and retain talented young people
An opportunity to adapt your learnings toward your business’ model
Increased productivity and healthy competitiveness in the workplace
Make sure your company has what it takes to employ an apprentice:
The right resources in-house: Make sure you have the right people, assets and tools in place to provide that knowledge to fresh minds. If you don’t have the knowledge or tools in place, you may not be able to provide the right training and close that skills gap.
The necessary allocated time for learning: Make sure that whoever in your company is responsible for your apprentice has the necessary time allocated to support them. Someone under pressure to execute their own tasks whilst also trying to teach someone could become unproductive and inefficient in the long term and could have a negative effect on morale.
A well-defined need for skills: Make sure you have defined the skills you need within your company and justify the apprenticeship program.
Set your KPIs or success measurements: What does a successful apprentice would look like to you and your company? Define what you want to achieve at the end of their apprenticeship program, how it will or would have benefited your company. Keeping these metrics in place from the start will help you identify pain points to address or successes that will shape the future role.
Is apprenticeship the future of closing the skills gap?
It’s clear that apprenticeships are a good solution to close skills gaps in the UK. But not all companies can afford or have the right assets to provide the necessary training.
Apprenticeship programmes are highly regarded because they allow a level of flexibility and accuracy for the company that provides the training. The apprentices are learning the tools, skills and knowledge that the company needs. Shaping the apprentices for that specific future role is also a very good opportunity to grow faster within that industry.
If you find your company in need to close skills gap and you’re not sure how or where to start with apprenticeship programmes, you can let us know by filling this LISP Employer’s Survey and we’ll get in touch to help your business.
Celebrating National Apprenticeship Week 2023
Norfolk County Council reported the latest provisional data set released by ESFA for the number of Apprenticeship starts across Norfolk for Q1 of 2022/23 (Aug, Sept, Oct 2022). Here are the headlines:
The National apprenticeship starts decline is at 6.10%. However, Norfolk is showing less decline at 5.85%, which is unsurprising given the huge growth surge last year against the backdrop of the availability of the Government incentives.
In Norfolk, Great Yarmouth and North Norfolk were the only districts to see growth in Q1 – which is brilliant news, as both of these districts have historically seen lower numbers of new starts out of Norfolk districts.
Katy Dorman, Apprenticeship Strategy Manager at Norfolk County Council, scratches the surface of the data, which brings positive stats in regards of Norfolk’s effort with Apprenticeship programs:
Starts at Level 2 have seen72% growth, compared to a national decline of -18.43%.
Starts for those aged 16-18 has seen47% growth, compared to a national decline of -4.10%.
Starts for ‘newly recruited’ apprentices saw 16% growth, those in employed less than 3 months who started an apprenticeship.
By month, Norfolk saw a little growth in October 2021 of 1.66%
By sector, the highest real number of apprenticeship starts was in
Health, Public Services & Care with a total of 486
The highest growth based on Q1 in 2021/22 was Construction with 46 more starts during Q1 2022/23
Our mission with LSIP in Norfolk and Suffolk is to understand the skills gap that industry face on a regular basis, with the aim to provide the right support and workforce in the long-term.
This growth in Q1 23 reported by Norfolk County Council need to keep progressing in the right direction, which is what LSIP aims to do with the help of business owners sharing their experience of skills gap impact within their company.
Become part of the skills gap solution by sharing your professional experience with us: LSIP Employer Form
Reacting to the latest ONS Labour Market figures, Nova Fairbank, Chief Executive at the Norfolk Chambers, said:
“Businesses are crying out for people to fill job vacancies at all skill levels, and this must be the number one focus for government if it’s serious about Norfolk’s economic growth.
“There are still a huge number of vacancies, currently sitting at 1.134 million, and this is stopping firms in their tracks. It means they are struggling to meet the orders on their books, and it puts any plans for growth far out of reach.
“It is also ramping up pressure on wages, currently at the highest rates seen in the private sector outside of the pandemic. This has been identified by the Bank of England as a factor in its decisions to raise interest rates to tame inflation.
“Government plans to get the UK’s untapped labour force into employment are a step in the right direction, but we need to see more action in Norfolk to address the barriers that are holding people back.
“The Spring Budget represents a golden opportunity for the Chancellor to ease the pressure on family members who have been squeezed out of the labour market by childcare costs.
“Older workers need carefully tailored careers advice, job seeker support and rapid re-training opportunities to help bring their skills and experience back to the workforce.
“Businesses should play their part by adopting flexible working policies, wherever possible, and by supporting staff training needs.
“And crucially, Government should reform the Shortage Occupation List to help firms fill urgent job vacancies from outside the UK when they cannot recruit locally. The List should include jobs at all skills levels where there is clear evidence of a national shortage.”
Get Involved
The Quarterly Economic Survey 2023 Q1 is NOW OPEN.
Join our series of free LSIP events running Norfolk and Suffolk – BOOK YOUR PLACE TODAY
Skills challenges – chances are, you have felt them within your business. So, what is the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) doing to highlight the employer skills challenges across Norfolk and Suffolk?
Over the next few weeks, we’re hosting a series of free to attend events across Norfolk and Suffolk, for you to come and discuss keys areas of the LSIP programme.
The first LSIP Roadshow event was held on Wednesday 22nd February at the Maid’s Head Hotel in the heart of Norwich. This event sold out within two weeks, highlighting how important businesses feel the skills gap issue in Norfolk is.
We are working with the Department of Education (DfE) and our colleagues, the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce to engage with businesses that are demanding change within the skills provision. By talking to us, and sharing insights, we are better placed to highlight the skills gaps across Norfolk and Suffolk.
We are asking businesses who are looking to future proof their growth, to engage and collaborate with us – these frontline experiences form the catalyst that will develop the LSIP Plan.
“We must upskill and mobilise Norfolk.”
The morning event started with a welcome from Dean Pierpoint, LSIP Project Manager, and an opening address from Tom Humphries, Skills Policy Manager at Norfolk County Council.
Tom gave an outline of what a County Deal for Norfolk involves, saying, “We have to upskill and mobilise Norfolk.” This is the second attempt at a devolution deal – now under a different framework that puts rural communities on a standing of their own.
He explained the funding will boost productivity, pay, jobs and living standards and importantly empower local leaders and communities, “The LSIP plays a really important role for Norfolk skills and is a significant opportunity for our county – get involved and get your voice heard.” He went on to say that the LSIP is ‘developing our system – it’s a dialogue with employers and is evidence of where we will be funding’.
“Communication in business is key, so use your voice to have an impact.”
Dean Pierpoint, LSIP Project Manager spoke on the issues affecting Norfolk and Suffolk businesses right now; “Change is afoot, our counties are facing a massive skills problem but we’re going to change the skills landscape for the Region”.
“However, we are here to identify the positives through collaboration and spreading the word.”
The business community has a voice to encourage greater collaboration between employers and training providers. When asked on ‘what can businesses do now?’, Dean went on to say, “Communication in business is key, so use your voice to have an impact!”
The final guest speaker was John Fowler, Senior Account Manager from Turning Factor, who spoke about the recruitment/retention dilemma that faces many businesses, citing 75% of people leaving a business will put it down to poor management and leadership.
Empowering and engaging your team is what should drive your company’s mission, it should be the catalyst to your business’s growth.
Questions raised.
Susan Falch-Lovesey, Stakeholder Manager, Business Development at Equinor asked on the research process and getting down to the granular data, ‘Are you looking at specific sectors for a bigger impact and the big wins?
Rob Panter, Managing Director at Canham Consulting talked on the lack of direct paths for people in Norfolk to train in Norfolk. ‘Young people must be trained outside of Norfolk; it’s exhausting for them and its expensive for businesses – they need to be trained here and trained properly.”
Sally Butcher, Managing Director at Realise Futures said, “Our company absolutely promotes everybody with disabilities, I’m concerned we’re going to see a lot of people left behind in skills”. She went on to say, “Qualifications aren’t always the route to progress, soft skills, communication and working in a team are vital skills to learn.”
Jonathan Cage, Managing Director at Create Consulting asked on the future of the programme, ‘Where does this sit in the future?’
Tom at Norfolk County Council responded with ‘A devolved Norfolk with autonomy should look very different from a Brussels decision.”
Gordon Simpson, Partner at Howes Percival LLP a Cornerstone Group employer said, “Young people are not work ready, we really need to tackle work experience – young people need that spark and enthusiasm”.
Angela Carpenter, Pathways 50+ and Account Manager for Futures for Business spoke on the problems within Norfolk and Suffolk seem to lie in working with schools and employers – “There is a particular mindset when it comes to grants and funding.”
All of the questions raised at the LSIP Roadshows will be taken into consideration when assessing the skills gaps in Norfolk and Suffolk – so we need to hear from businesses of all sizes and sectors. Thank you so much to all our guests for attending, and to the Maids Head Hotel for their hospitality.
If you like the sound of this event, and you want to hear more about LSIP why not come along to our upcoming LSIP events? The next event is on Wednesday 15th March at the Thomas Paine Hotel, Thetford. For a full list of all dates click here
Why should you get involved?
You want to increase the growth of your business.
You want your team to have the skills they need to be engaged, empowered, and moving forwards.
It’s vital to retain the talent within your business.
You want to attract the right people, for culture, for growth and for success.
We are engaging with businesses of all sizes, stakeholders, colleges, training providers and universities to enable a more responsive and collaborative approach to the development of the local workforce.
What happens next?
Over the coming months, we will be conducting Employer Engagement surveys, telephone interviews, opportunities for 1-2-1 discussions, focus groups and events.
Our LSIP Board is now in place to provide direction, oversight, and review of the development of an effective LSIP for the region, the first meeting took place yesterday, 17th January and was a huge success in steering the programme forward.
You can view the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce LSIP programme of events across Suffolk here
