One thing all businesses have in common is the struggle to find the right people to fill a role. Recruitment is a fundamental part of running a business and getting it right can mean the difference between success and failure.
Family businesses, especially, want to invest in their employees and need people who will buy in to the company ethos.
On top of this, businesses in places like Carlisle very often need a specifically local solution.
Finding an answer to this issue was very much the idea behind the Carlisle Skills Fair, the fourth of which I hosted recently.
The Carlisle Skills Fair brings together local businesses and skills providers with those looking for employment. The people it attracts are jobseekers, schoolchildren, students – as well as those who might be looking for a change of career.
It is always fantastic to hear the stories of those who have found jobs or apprenticeships – very often in careers or disciplines they didn’t even know were available in our city.
But it is also impressive to see the local businesses that turn up. I am always reminded of the high quality companies we have in Carlisle when the stalls are put up. And I couldn’t help but notice how many of these companies were family businesses, such as Pioneer, Story Homes and Thomas Graham.
To me this is not a surprise. Family businesses are about handing down skills and passing on knowledge to future generations.
It is in this spirit that the Carlisle Skills Fair has always been held.
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