Pictured above: Professor Carl Chinn meets Nicki
Lewis-Downing (left) of Pertemps People Development Group and
Nicola Smith, HR manager of East End Foods, at the business event
in Birmingham
More than 50 Birmingham and Sandwell business people attended a
recent breakfast meeting to learn how the city's long-term
unemployed residents could hold the key to future expansion.
The event in Newtown, hosted by Professor Carl Chinn, was
organised by Pertemps People Development Group (PPDG) and the
Teenage Cancer Trust to showcase how business and charities can
develop beneficial partnerships.
The meeting was opened by Carl who explained the historical
importance of Aston's contribution as a manufacturing centre and
how new businesses are providing employment opportunities. They
include East End Foods which has recently invested in the old HP
Sauce site in Aston Cross.
Carl went on to explain how in the 1980s, even with the best of
qualifications, work was hard to come by and even he became one of
UB40's "One in 10".
"I strongly believe in what PPDG is achieving in giving
Birmingham people the right skills for the workplace and then
providing the bridge to employment with West Midlands employers,"
he said. "It's about giving people hope and dignity through the
vehicle of employment."
The Teenage Cancer Trust then took the opportunity to highlight
the importance of corporate support for charities. West Midlands
regional fund raiser Craig Burchell stated that the partnership
with PPDG was about more than just making financial donations and
highlighted how the company had used its contacts to open further
doors to gain support from other West Midland businesses.
PPDG employer engagement director Nicki Lewis-Downing said that
the company's strong CSR agenda was behind the event to demonstrate
that business can play a lead role in supporting the third
sector.
"Everyone agreed that it was a breakfast meeting with a twist,"
she said. "There were lots of employers keen to see how they might
become involved with the charity. Every charity has an element of
corporate support and some of those present indicated that they
were keen to work with us in the future, so the morning was
definitely mutually beneficial."
PPDG has helped more than 100,000 job seekers secure sustainable
employment and trained 130,000 people in vocational skills. The
company was placed fourth in The Sunday Times Best Companies to
Work For 2011 and has been widely recognised for its work in the
field of CSR. For more information visit www.ppdg.co.uk.