Greater Manchester Chamber - Up Front

As part of International Trade Week, we speak to Chris of 5-1-2 (Manchester) Ltd, the official sponsor of Greater Manchester Chamber’s International Trade Training programme. 5-1-2 (Manchester) Ltd is offering members the opportunity to participate in a short placement at its office, giving them the chance to see how a freight forwarder deals with your shipments and to learn how rates are calculat...

Join Chris Fletcher and Lucy Mulligan as they dive into the Chamber’s critical role in shaping policy — and why it matters to you. 🔹 Spending Review unpacked – what it means for businesses 🔹 10-Year Infrastructure Plan – the big wins for Greater Manchester 🔹 Industrial Strategy (IS8) – where opportunity meets ambition 🔹 US Tariffs – what businesses need to know right now 🔹 Business Mood Check...

In this next episode in the series of podcasts from the Chamber's Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) team, we discuss our latest progress report approved by the Department for Education. Chris Fletcher, the Chamber's policy director and GM LSIP contract director, starts by giving us an overview of the political landscape in the UK right now, and what that means for skills and the LSIP pr...

Talking Skills is the new name for the podcast that examines the research, findings and insights emerging from the Chamber's work on the Greater Manchester Local Skills Improvement Plan (GM LSIP). Our latest guest is Beau Ormrod, owner of FocalPoint Coaching. Beau is not only an executive coach, but he's also an advocate of the Positive Intelligence programme, which focuses on mental fitne...

In this episode of the Chamber's Local Skills Improvement Plan podcast, we're joined by Julie Lappin, Executive Director at Greater Manchester Learning Provider Network (GMLPN) and Subrah Krishnan-Harihara, Deputy Director of Research at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce. Julie talks about the wide range of GMLPN-run programmes and initiatives designed to support learning providers an...

This episode of the podcast from the Chamber's Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) team focuses on the skills shortages affecting the electrical trades. We are joined by the chief operating officer at the Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA), Andrew Eldred; the operations director at 24-7 Group, Matt Longworth; and the Chamber's deputy director of research, Subrah Krishnan-Hariha...

In this episode of the podcast from the Chamber's Local Skills Improvement Plan team, Richard Caulfield, Senior Policy Manager at the Greater Manchester Colleges Group, is back in the hot seat to update us on how the funds from the Local Skills Improvement Fund are being spent, and crucially, when learners will be able to reap the benefits of this. Richard also tells us about another fund - th...

In this podcast, we're joined by Rebecca Durber, NW Area Director & Senior Policy Lead for Skills Reform at the Association of Colleges (AOC). Rebecca speaks to us off the back of the latest AOC campaign, Colleges Week 2024 , where colleges across the region focused on influencing local political representatives, engaging with their stakeholders (including the business community), and cele...

We've teamed up with Manchester Central to host a panel discussion on collaboration, vision & ambitions for growth for Manchester. Joining us on the panel: Chris Fletcher Shaun Hinds Lou Cordwell OBE Holly Moore James Montrose

In this episode, we get to know Pam Shanker. Pam is an Award Winning Transformational Life and Business Coach, Founder of The Universe Café and Award Winning Property Investor. Get in touch with Pam here: Pam Shanker Coaching https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091893625325 The Universe Café - Manifest Success https://www.facebook.com/groups/274786058215293 Property Investors Who Want to Im...

In this podcast, the GM LSIP team talks to Tracey Wood, Assistant Principal Adult Skills and Employer Engagement at The Trafford and Stockport College Group, about the new 'Leading with Confidence' courses created to bridge skills gaps highlighted in the GM Local Skills Improvement Plan. Tracey tells us how the courses have been received by employers in the area, and why it's so import...

Just before Christmas, we brought together Chris Fletcher, GM Chamber Policy Director & GM LSIP Contract Director, and Richard Caulfield, Senior Policy Manager at the Greater Manchester Colleges Group, to talk about the LSIP (Local Skills Improvement Plan) and the LSIF (Local Skills Improvement Fund). Chris provided an update on where we are currently with the LSIP, and Richard talked us throu...

Chamber researchers, Toluwanimi Ojutiku and Subrah Krishnan-Harihara, discuss the findings from our research for the Local Skills Improvement Plan that relate to employee training. Tolu talks about employee training trends across Greater Manchester and the benefits to individuals, businesses and the economy of providing training to employees. She has written a blog about employee training which de...

In this week's podcast, Chamber Deputy Director of Research, Subrah Krishnan-Harihara, talks about some of the findings from our regular business survey - the Quarterly Economic Survey (QES). The QES has been running for 35 years this year, and is a business confidence survey, asking questions about how businesses are faring in terms of sales and orders, whether they're planning to recruit...

The Local Skills Improvement Plan team at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce focus on productivity in the latest episode of our podcast. Chamber researchers Subrah (Deputy Director of Research) and Aadya (Research Intern) discuss the 'productivity puzzle' and its relationship with skills. We touch on training and its impact on productivity and how Greater Manchester lags behind other a...

In the latest podcast from the Chamber's GM Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) team, Samantha and Subrah discuss the benefits of employee training. Research conducted when producing the GM LSIP shows that only 60% of businesses provide some sort of training to their employees, but with 68% of businesses struggling to recruit, should more employers look to training and up-skilling their exist...

The latest podcast from the Chamber's Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) team features Chris Fletcher, Policy Director at the Chamber and Contract Director for the the GM LSIP. Chris talks about the approval of the GM LSIP by the Department for Education, the impact that the LSIP will have on businesses and stage 2 - what happens next now the Plan has been published? We're currently coll...

Marc Mcloughlin , Managing Director of Greenarc Vehicles, talks to Simon Cronin, Communications Manager at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, about the benefits of moving your business to electric vehicles and the help and support available.

In this episode of the podcast about the Greater Manchester Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP), the Chamber's researchers, Subrah and Aadya, talk about some of the future investment plans in different boroughs of GM. Through analysing which projects are taking place in each borough, the team can match the skills shortages already apparent with the future investments taking place, and make re...

This episode of the GM Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) podcast focuses on the recruitment difficulties businesses within different sectors are experiencing in Greater Manchester. Researchers at the Chamber, Subrah and Samantha, discuss what the results of our employer survey are telling us so far. Data from the employer survey will feed into the GM Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP), which...

In the next episode about the Greater Manchester Local Skills Improvement Plan (GM LSIP), the Chamber's research team talks about some of the interim findings from the data we have collected so far. We discuss some of the strategic priorities of different Local Authority areas within Greater Manchester and highlight the next focus for the GM LSIP team: green skills. The next iteration of our b...

Matthew Stuttard, Managing Director - North West at JM Glendinning, talks to Simon Cronin, Communications Manager at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, about the insurance industry, his own career path and how Chamber members can benefit from a Silent Review of their insurance.

In the latest episode of our partners in focus series, we're joined by Richard Magennis from Salford Business School. Andre and Richard discuss the range of interesting ventures Salford Business School are exploring including supporting the innovation of businesses in the region. We encourage our members to get involved with some of the projects Salford Business School have. Get Involved Visit...

Greater Manchester Chamber is leading on the development and delivery of the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) for our area. Funded by the Department for Education (DfE), the Plan aims to map out and articulate which skills shortages businesses in Greater Manchester are experiencing and, crucially, how to address those skills shortages by working with skills providers and other stakeholders acr...

In this episode we get to know Afiya Amesu. Afiya Amesu is an up & coming star! Whilst studying to become a Barrister, she started She Leads for Legacy, an organisation which connects Black women, provides knowledge and resource to Black women are allies which empowers them to be influential and practically upskills Black women whilst upskilling allies to tackle discrimination. Get involved! T...