THE Warrington Skills Commission is continuing to gather information and accounts in the quest to ensure that emerging and growing employment demands can be filled locally.
In the latest of a series of events, the board will be holding a meeting in public today (Friday).
It will build on the findings from two earlier workshops with businesses and the education/ skills sector. 
A series of expert witnesses will attend Warrington Town Hall between 10am and 4pm to outline the key issues, opportunities and barriers going forward with a view to identifying joined up solutions to satisfying the employment and skills requirements for the town and its businesses.
Employers, employees, learners and the curious are invited to join the debate and share their thoughts on the day online.
Kath O’Dwyer (pictured), the borough council’s executive director of children and young people’s services and chairman of the Warrington Skills Commission said: “We have already identified a number of issues as a result of national policy changes in education, for example the shift from vocation subjects with the introduction of the English Baccalaureate in 2017.
“There are also a number of opportunities that all partners are very keen to explore such as better engagement with other providers for training, apprenticeships and employment based learning in the future.”
Cllr Terry O’Neill, leader of the council said: “Information gathered over the last few weeks show the borough’s key employment sectors are currently retail, public services, warehousing construction, engineering activities and business services.
“In the future distribution, communications, engineering and energy, IT and health and social work will come to the fore. We need to think now how to collectively fulfil these needs to ensure Warrington is best placed to grow and thrive in the future, that’s what this work is about.”
The results of today’s exercise will be combined with local intelligence and national research in a final report to be published in the new year.
The Warrington Skills Commission launched in October. It is being spearheaded by Warrington Borough Council and the board includes representatives from the Warrington Chamber of Commerce, NHS, the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership as well as local schools and colleges.
Skills commission to meet in public
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
