Love to Pledge – Inspiring the workforce of the future

14th February 2020

People are the key to any successful business. Investing in them and nurturing them will not only help tackle your skills issues, but you’ll also recruit and retain the right people. 

Connecting people is a core value of Business West, and we want to help build the workforce of the future by bringing together business, education and learners of all ages to ensure skills are relevant both for the needs of the business and the individual.

This is where our Love to Pledge campaign comes in.  To date we’ve secured over 3,000 pledges from organisations like yours to engage learners, employees and prospective job candidates through providing insights into work, job roles and expectations.  

You can pledge in a number of ways for example speaking at a careers fair, taking on a work experience student, helping with mock interviews or even hiring an apprentice, plus much more.

It’s really easy to get involved and here are 4 reasons why your organisation will LOVE to Pledge.

  1. Inspire the workforce of the future
    By pledging to share your knowledge and expertise you’re providing opportunities to inspire future careers. Individuals can learn about employers’ expectations, build awareness about your sector and industry and help create job readiness skills. You can make a real difference to the aspirations of young people.

    But it’s not just new employees you can inspire, for example by using apprenticeships to upskill existing employees you can provide access to new qualifications and let’s not forget that inspired employees are up to 3 times as productive as disengaged employees. 

  2. Inject new ideas into your business
    By pledging to offer an experience of work, take on an apprentice or intership, your business will benefit from having someone new who can offer fresh ideas, insight and new skills. Each person brings something different to the table and can help create new energy or even change.

  3. Give something back to the community
    Pledging is a great way to give back to the community in which your organisation is based. As an employer you are in the best position to provide inspiration to the future workforce. By providing opportunities for people to learn you’re helping to reduce the regions skills gaps/shortages but also closing these gaps within your own organisation. And in order to have the right people with the right skills, we need organisations like yours be involved to drive forward the regional skills agenda.  

  4. Gain a reputation as a great employer
    By providing opportunities to learners you’ll (re)ignite interest in your business as an employer of choice and a desirable place to work. Whilst working with the future workforce, your intern or work experience student could potentially become your newest recruit with no added recruitment costs to you and the added bonus of already knowing that they fit into your team, are knowledgeable about your company and are passionate about what you do. Win, win!

 

  • Get involved

    Join over 3000 businesses who have already pledged their support. We want to inspire businesses just like yours to offer your knowledge and time to benefit the future workforce.

Do you want to join the conversation?

Sign up here
  • Apprenticeship support

    An apprentice can help boost the productivity of your business. Find out how to recruit an apprentice, upskill your existing staff and what funding is available. 

     

  • Expand your skillset

    Learn new skills with our training workshops. Whether you want to know more about business planning and finance, marketing, social media or crowdfunding, we can help.