Bucks Businesses debate what it takes to retain talented employees

Finding and keeping talented employees is a concern for any company in today's world of work, and it's a challenge businesses in Bucks are attempting to tackle together.

The Engineering Futures Group, a forum for the manufacturing sector, hosted a free event called “Talent & Skills for the Industries of the Future” in partnership with Buckinghamshire Business First (BBF) on Friday 13th October, at ATG Training, Smeaton Close.

A roster of speakers, including representatives from ATG Training and The Buckinghamshire Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership (BTVLEP), were on hand to debate the importance of skilled personnel in the engineering sector.

Philippa Batting, managing director of BBF, said: “We are delighted to be working with the Engineering Futures Group on this informative and interactive event.

“This is a great opportunity for all businesses in engineering and manufacturing to find out more about how they can ensure they have the right talent and skills mix in their organisation to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing industry sector.”

The full range of speakers were Mark Eighteen from Activate Apprenticeships, Rupert Waters from Bucks Business First, Paul Avins from Team Dynamics, Jon Adams from ATG Training, Karen Moule from Enterprise Marketing Solutions, Jackie Campbell from BTVLEP.

Rupert Waters, head of economic research with BBF, ran through the latest government statistics on skills in the local area, offering an optimistic outlook for the future of growth in the county.

According to Rupert, Bucks is forecast to grow employment by just over 1.4% between 2017 and 2033, relating to the forecast output growth rate of 2.2% over the same period.

The Engineering Futures Group, a forum for the engineering sector in Buckinghamshire, was created between Enterprise Marketing Solutions and ATG Training to provide a platform to network and discuss relevant topics affecting the industry. If you would like to be invited to future events, please email [email protected]