The Chamber

“Doing What Works…” is a series of interactive seminars brought to you by the Mersey Skills Network designed to help businesses get the skills necessary to succeed.

The “Doing What Works… Finance” seminar will take place at Blackburne House, Blackburne Place off Hope Street in Liverpool, on 18 September. It aims to alleviate the fears associated with financial management and provide advice, information, tips and techniques which can then be immediately implemented within organisations.

The seminar will feature as key-note speaker local man Steve Sealy, founding director of AM Paper Group Ltd. In addition, three interactive workshops will focus on the Credit Crunch, Finance for Non Financial management, and Profit Improvement, all facilitated by professionals with many years experience in the field of finance.

Places cost £250 + VAT and can be booked by contacting:
Mersey Skills Network
Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, Number One Old Hall Street, Liverpool, L3 9HG
Email: info@merseyskills.co.uk
Telephone: 0151 224 1888

Liverpool Chamber’s Professional Development Programme has three courses coming up that will help you both create new business and efficiently manage the contracts this will create.

First up is a Sales and Marketing Masterclass taking place on 15 & 16 June. This two-day course will help you find, new and better clients; learn 10 success methods on how to get referrals; how to beat your competition; how to create a brand name and a lot more.

If you feel you need a broader introduction to marketing, our course on 17 July fits the bill. This will explain just what marketing is and how you can develop a marketing plan to boost your business.

Now the work is rolling in, you’ll be glad of our Managing Contracts course on 16 July. This will explain the often dense language of the modern business contract. It will look at all areas, including legal definitions, intellectual copyright and useful case studies.

To book, either click on the links above or email Almay Mayers.

The Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills has issued a consultation which considers that all employees should have the right to request training from their employers.

The new right would operate along the same lines as the right to request flexible working. However, whereas the right to request flexible working is confined to certain people in certain family situations, the right to request training would apply to all employees.

The new right is a right to request training, rather than a right to receive training.

The key proposals are:

• The training requested must help the employee to be more productive and effective at work;
• Where training requested ties into nationally funded schemes (such as Train to Gain, employers will be able to claim funding;
• Employees must have been working for their employers for a period of not less than 26 weeks;
• Employees, after consideration of their training needs (with third parties if needs be) would need to submit a request in writing;
• Employees can have a representative with them to attend any employer meeting to discuss this right;
• The number of requests would be limited to one in twelve months;
• There would be right of appeal to the employer, and following that to an employment tribunal. Such appeals would only be allowed where the employer failed to follow correct procedure.

In the proposals, employers could refuse training for the following reasons:

• Lack of relevance of training to business;
• Suitable training is unavailable;
• Burden of cost;
• Detrimental effect on ability to meet customer demand;
• Inability to organise work among existing staff;
• Inability to recruit additional staff;
• Detrimental impact on performance;
• Detrimental impact on quality;
• Insufficiency of work during the periods the employee proposes to work; and
• Planned structural changes.

The purpose of the proposals is to ‘serve to raise employers’ awareness of the importance of skills to their businesses’ and to act as ‘a significant driver of cultural change, and action, in relation to skills’.

The British Chamber of Commerce want to know what you think. Please take our quick survey to share your views on how this will effect business and whether or not it will change how training is delivered. Take the survey here.

The full consultation can be found on the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills website.

Due to the increasing burden of employment legislation dealing with health and safety issues is becoming increasingly difficult, time consuming and costly.

An investment in training can pay dividends in ensuring that your business is compliant. Liverpool Chamber Professional Development has teamed up with Steve McClean from Safety Management Consultancy to deliver vital health and safety qualifications. (NEBOSH) National General Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health and Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) Managing Safely.

The venue for both courses is Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, Number One Old Hall Street, Liverpool L3  9HG

To book either course or for  details of how the course can be delivered in house. Please contact Alma Mayers Tel: 0151 224 1883 or e-mail alma.mayers@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

Why indeed!  When you  have a free service right on your door step.

As members of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce you are entitled and indeed encouraged, to make use of  the Trident Training Recruitment Service which is FREE to members.

Trident Training have been involved with schools and colleges within the Greater Merseyside Area, through the Compact Careers and Guidance Open Days.  We have over two hundred applicants waiting to be placed in employment

If your organisation is looking to employ any staff in the 16 to 18 years age group in a junior administrative or general office position we can assist.  All applicants are thoroughly vetted by qualified staff, providing screening and testing of each individual applicant before Trident release their CVs to employers for consideration

Each successful applicant will commence their apprenticeship with Trident Training in one of a number of subjects such as Business Administration, Retail & Customer Service, IT User& IT Practitioner with key Skills and Technical Certificate

The Learning & Skills Council provide funding of 100% for any staff in the 16 to 24 years old age group to gain a National Vocational Qualification through the apprenticeship scheme which is also open to existing staff in this age group.

The employer is responsible for employing the employee at an Apprenticeship wage of not less than £80.00 per week. Also the employer is responsible for ensuring that the employee receives support and assistance with their apprenticeship program.

For more information, please call the Workforce Development Team on 0151 236 3222 or 227 1234

As an employer, are you aware of the funds available to upskill your workforce?

There is concern in the Government about the quality of skills among employees in the UK.  A recent report presented  by Lord Leitch indicates that the UK is languishing close to the bottom of the EC league for employed staff whom do not possess any form of qualification at NVQ level two and above.

The Learning & Skills Council are promoting the “Train To Gain” Fund to encourage all employers to assist with this initiative by offering 100% funding of a vocational qualification to level two for any employee who have not achieved grade “C” and above for GCSE  or any NVQ at level 2 or it’s equivalent.

Management are not exempt in this scheme, the offer is extended to managers, supervisors or team leaders to complete a level three or four management vocational qualification.

The Government has made it clear that if employers do not seize the initiative, they will force a bill through that will make it compulsory for the employer to ensure their employees are qualified to at least a level two NVQ and at the employer’s expense.

For further information on how Train to Gain can help your business contact Trident Training on 0151 227 1234.

Trident Training offers a range of apprenticeships for young people, as well as finding suitable candidates for employers offering apprenticeships.

Taking on a young person as an apprentice with your company has several benefits including an real investment in your workforce. In 2007, Old Hall Street creative and marketing company USP Creative took on Modern Apprentice, Mohamed Ali to work at the company and study for his Business Admin Level 2 NVQ.

During his time with USP Creative Mohamed has fulfilled the role of administrator as well as managing to achieve and gain certification of his Level 2 NVQ at the end of January this year.  Apart from the run of the mill admin duties associated with clerical work, Mohamed has also been able to get involved with the design team supporting their project work, as Kim Peters, Director puts it: “Mo’ is always very helpful and willing to get stuck in, he’s been a really good asset to the team.”

When asked about his ambitions for the future Mohamed replied: “I want to be a Managing Director of a company, possibly this one!”  From his time spent with Trident Mohamed feels he has gained much to improve his career, notably his knowledge of employment rules and regulations,which he intends to utilise in the future to achieve his goal of becoming a MD. He said: “I’ve learnt more about employment law and my rights, which I didn’t know before”.

Mohamed is a great example of the hard work, ambition and commitment offered by Trident’s apprentices. For more information about on apprenticeships for your company, call Lee Wainwright or Simon Chadwick  on 0151 227 1234.

As an employer are you paying your employees 100% wages but only getting 50% effort from them? Learn how to make up the difference.

Employees want to be directed, they want to be inspired and want to give 100%.  Learn how to help them achieve this.

The Chamber Professional Development Programme is working in partnership with John Haynes From Liverpool International Coaching Academy to offer ‘How to Get More from Your Staff’ on Wednesday 9 July.

During the course you will acquire master skills. These skills will help you to increase your profit margin and identify how to get 100% effort from your staff.

• You will learn how to instil meaningful purposes for staff.
• How to stop the politics and the time wasting activities.
• How to motivate yourself and your staff.
• Learn how to use master skills to select the right people.
• Have the courage to keep out incompetent people.

Cost of the course:  £199.00 + VAT for bookings and further information contact Alma Mayers or Sarah Abraham on 0151 227 1234.

Realising Your Business Potential - 27 June 2008

The Promoting Tender Opportunities programme is available to businesses that have been trading for less than three years and where business owners live in Merseyside.

This ESF funded project will provide free training and support to new businesses with the aim that they will have the necessary entrepreneurial skills and business knowledge to successfully bid for a variety of tender opportunities.

This workshop will be held at Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, One Old Hall Street and will cover:

• Finding tender opportunities
• Pre-qualification questionnaires
• Benefits for small businesses supplying the public sector
• The advantage to the public sector of dealing with small businesses
• Getting that much needed first experience
• Case studies – tenders won and lost

We will be joined on the day by two expert speakers who will be able to address questions and further explore how small businesses can tender and work with the public sector.

To book contact June Davies at june.davies@liverpoolchamber.org.uk or call 0151 227 1234.

Liverpool Chamber of Commerce is working in partnership with P.P.B.A to deliver a one day seminar on Successful Selling.

The areas covered in this seminar are:

• Your Sale Proposition
• The Qualities a Successful Salesperson
• Selling Styles
• Selling Benefits against features
• Questioning Techniques
• Communication Skills
• Barriers to Listening
• The magnificent 7 strategy for success
• Pre-call Preparation
• Introduction to creative selling
• The Stage of the Sale
• Overcoming Objections through solutions
• Selling against  the competition
• How to develop unshakeable confidence
• The basic skills of negotiation

Cost: £199

Date: 30th June 2008
Venue: Liverpool Chamber, One Old Hall Street, Liverpool, L3 9HG

If you wish to book a place on this seminar please contact Sarah Abraham on 0151 227 1234 ext 2276, or send her an email.