Newry, Mourne and Down Recruitment and Skills conference launched
A free district-wide conference aimed at tackling Newry, Mourne and Down’s workforce challenges will take place in Newry City on Wednesday October 9, 2024.
Businesses, education and training providers and policymakers are being encouraged to attend the Newry, Mourne and Down Recruitment and Skills Conference and play a significant role in shaping and developing a Labour Market Strategy for the whole district for the next decade and beyond.
The conference takes place in the Canal Court Hotel, Newry on Wednesday October 9, 2024 from 9am to 3:30pm and is the first of two major conferences taking place over a 12-month period with the second District-wide conference taking place in the Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle on Wednesday October 8, 2025.
The NMD Recruitment and Skills Conference is organised by Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade in partnership with Newry, Mourne and Down Labour Market Partnership (LMP) – funded by the Department for Communities, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, Southern Regional College (SRC), South Eastern Regional College (SERC) and Ulster University.
The Conference will hear from Economy Minister, Conor Murphy MLA, a senior representative from the Department for Communities, experts from business, academia and government as well as the area’s young people.
The presentations, panel discussions and workshops will focus on developing bespoke solutions to the Workforce Challenges of the next decade and beyond as businesses across every sector of our local economy struggle to recruit and retain staff.
Other keynote speakers will be confirmed in the coming days for what promises to be the biggest Skills and Recruitment discussion to take place in Newry, Mourne and Down.
Launching the Conference, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson Councillor Pete Byrne said: “Almost every business across this District is struggling to recruit and retain staff.
“Recruitment and Skills is one of the biggest obstacles we face in growing our economy across Newry, Mourne and Down.
“I am delighted the Council through the NMD Labour Market Partnership is working with Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade, our two regional colleges and Ulster University to create the opportunity for our business community across the whole District to devise a strategy to tackle this problem through engagement and discussion with education and training providers, policymakers and our young people.”
Councillor Byrne continued: “We need to create opportunities for our citizens who are currently economically inactive and who want to work and create a pathway for them into the workplace.
“This is just one of the potential areas we can target, and it is through collaboration by all key stakeholders that workable solutions can be found.
“This year’s Conference on Wednesday 9 October is the first of two Conferences over the next 12 months that will culminate in the development of a Skills and Recruitment Strategy for the District, and I encourage representatives from all sectors to attend this conference in Newry and next year in Newcastle.”
Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade President, Edwina Flynn said: “Meeting the Workforce Challenges of this area is one of the core strategic pillars of the Chamber and we are delighted to be organising this Conference on a District-wide basis with the NMD LMP, our regional colleges SRC and SERC and Ulster University.
“The Chamber held a well-attended forum on this topic back in April and it was clear that there is a strong appetite for collaboration in devising a strategy that supports businesses to attract and retain staff and also provides opportunities for those seeking career opportunities, particularly our young people and those who have been economically inactive and want to take their place in the District’s workforce and build a career here in this region.
“We are delighted that we have agreed a two-venue conference approach to this issue over the next 12 months and hope to build on the outcomes of this year’s October Conference in Newry when we meet again in Newcastle next year.
“It is important that businesses and everyone with a stake in this issue attends the event in Newry to ensure that the solutions we come up with are reflective of the issues across the whole district. We look forward to welcoming everyone from across the District to Newry on Wednesday October 9.”
Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade CEO, Michael Savage added: “Over the coming weeks I will be visiting business organisations across the whole district with a registration roadshow to ensure that every corner of the district is represented at the Conference in Newry and again next year in Newcastle.
“The challenges around Recruitment and Skills in a difficult labour market impact every sector across every part of our district and it is important that stakeholders from Saintfield to Culloville and from Ardglass to Newtownhamilton all see this a unique opportunity to shape solutions to a growing problem that impacts us all.”
Book your free place for the conference by visiting www.newrychamber.com