Institute of Directors seminar to debate skills development

Monday 22 March 2010

The final seminar in this season’s Institute of Directors winter series, will consider the importance of skills development in the island

The Yorkshire Guernsey sponsored seminar is extremely timely given the recent report from Frontier Economics, commissioned by Commerce and Employment and discussions will focus on ensuring that appropriate attention is being placed on training and learning to support the island’s business needs.

While the report highlighted that Guernsey had no significant skills gap, the review included a number of recommendations. These were aimed at maintaining the island’s advantage in certain sectors such as commerce and capitalising on the return on investment for businesses in up skilling Guernsey’s workforce.

The seminar will explore whether there is the funding and strategies in place to ensure that talent remains in Guernsey. It will also examine how the island is maximising its offering if its product is knowledge, and with a population cap restricting the importation of skills, what is being done to ensure that Guernsey has a prosperous future?

The report’s suggestions hold implications for the GTA University Centre, including the move to becoming a wholly States-funded organisation. The consultation period for the review into up skilling Guernsey’s workforce runs until the 6th April.