Prioritising skills, jobs and growth for Bedford Borough
As we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic Mayor Dave Hodgson has made improving skills, creating jobs and promoting growth priorities in Bedford Borough.
In March, Mayor Dave launched the new Skills Led Recovery Plan and Mayor Dave recently visited the Jobs Hub.
The Jobs Hub offers bespoke careers advice, help to find work, training and business opportunities and a valuable recruitment source for employers. Through working with the service, 1,835 people have been able to find employment, training or enterprise, since 2018. The Jobs Hub also sends out its Vacancy E-Bulletin that now has over 13,700 subscribers. This weekly email provides information for prospective employees on new job opportunities in the local area. Since 2018, there have been over 2,600 new jobs created and many of them have been advertised through the Jobs Hub.
Mayor Dave sais "It's a fantastic service and I encourage anyone who is looking for new employment opportunities to use it. It is also a great source of talented local people that our 7,000 local businesses can choose from. I think the key to the success has been the interaction with businesses through quarterly labour market reports. This means we can ensure our residents have the skills that businesses need."
To find out more about the Jobs Hub and to sign up to the weekly Vacancy E-Bulletin visit https://www.bedford.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers/jobs-hub/
Recetly Mayor Dave visited, and opened, M&J Group's Training Centre at Elms Farm in Bedford. M&J has provided employment and training opportunities to the local community for a significant number of years. With the incredible level of continuous funding M&J have promised, which equates to £250,000 per annum, they have now developed an approved CITB training organisation. This company are now one of the largest specialist roofing and construction companies in the UK and over their 50-year history have provided opportunities to our local area and numerous school and college leavers.
Mayor Dave also recently visited The Waterfront Hotel, Spa & Golf at Wyboston Lakes Resort which has undergone a £1.5m makeover adding a modern and stylish design, plus many new feature areas. A flexible co-working area under the resort's Landing Pad brand has been added on the first floor as an alternative to Working From Home or travelling to the office. The innovative space features meeting areas, hot desking space and single person booths, plus a kitchen and eating area to connect with colleagues and friends. The renovation follows a £5m investment in The Willows Training Centre and The Woodlands Event Centre when both centres were transformed into modern high-tech venues offering a wide range of inspiring and flexible event rooms with creative breakout areas and a fantastic restaurant.
Mayor Dave added "The pandemic has had a devastating impact on business, jobs and education across the world and these are just two examples of businesses that are not just bouncing back from the pandemic but investing in our Borough and there are many more businesses doing the same. It is absolutely vital that our recovery is one that prioritises future skills development and promotes sustainable business and job growth. We have the opportunity to develop our local economy in a way that benefits current and future generations."
Later this year Mayor Dave will launch the Council's new Growth Plan for 2023-2027 which will help build our future skills and job growth across the Borough.