Member Article

Bannatyne provides Bigger Picture

A skills summit featuring Dragons’ Den star Duncan Bannatyne and Roberta Blackman-Woods MP (City of Durham) attracted a wide range of private and public organisations from across the region last week.

The Bigger Picture was hosted by BBC presenter Wendy Gibson at Durham County Cricket Club’s Riverside ground.

The summit was the culmination of a series of events during a year of skills and learning. The aim was to solicit opinion from employers, learning providers and learners to develop a strategy to boost the area’s economy over the next five years.

Mr Bannatyne recounted how he rose from an impoverished childhood in one of the most deprived areas of Glasgow to become one of the wealthiest and best-known entrepreneurs in Britain.

Gillian Miller, Regional Skills Director at LSC North East, who helped organise the event, was very pleased by the turnout at the event and the feedback from employers.

She said: “I believe we have demonstrated to the employers here today just how much support and advice is available to them when it comes to training and development.

“Improving skills is everybody’s responsibility - individuals, employers and the government - it is a partnership between all three, and it is only through partnership that we will achieve the right results.”

Roberta Blackman-Woods MP said: “The event was excellent, especially because of the number of private sector employers who were there to engage with the skills initiative and in particular discover how their businesses can benefit from the opportunities available to upskill their workforce.

“In this time of economic downturn it is critical that we don’t take our eye off the need for improving the skills of our population.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .