Bury Means Business – backed by Mayor Andy Burnham

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, was the key speaker at the latest Bury Means Business seminar.

The event brought together politicians, businesses and educators to look at how young people can be given the skills to work.

The seminar, which took place at the Elizabethan Suite at Bury Town Hall, had the theme “Putting employers at the heart of the GM skills and education system”. It was organised by Bury Business Leadership Group and Bury Council, supported by CLES and the GMCA.

Cllr Rishi Shori, leader of Bury Council, said: “This event is a direct result of the feedback from our business community, who have expressed concerns about the future recruitment needs of their organisations and the skills and attitudes that they will need to grow their businesses.

“At the same time, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and our newly elected Mayor want to understand how best to engage with businesses, and ensure the policies we champion, the activities we fund, the programmes we commission and the whole devolution agenda has businesses at the heart. I’m delighted that Andy was our keynote speaker, as Greater Manchester is poised to become one of the world’s leading regions, driving sustainable growth across a thriving North of England.”

Cllr Shori added: “It is our business base that will drive forward inclusive growth, growth that everyone across our borough, can benefit from.

“I launched Bury’s Life Chances Commission last year because I wanted to get down to the detail of why there are some parts of our community that don’t enjoy the benefits of economic growth. Events like this will influence how we take the results of the Commission forward and pave a way to bring our schools, training providers, colleges, the council and businesses together as one team in Bury.”

Andy Burnham said: "It was a great event to go to and meet so many people with a real drive to help Greater Manchester grow and reach its full potential.

"This can only happen by creating jobs for local people and the ambition shown by the local businesses that attended was great to see.”

ENDS

Press release issued: 21 September 2017.

Pictured: At the Bury Means Business event are (from left) Cllr Rishi Shori; Andy Burnham; Elizabeth Clark from Dream Agility; Andrew Roberts from Pennine; Charlie Deane from Bury College; and Dr Kondal Kandadi from Bolton College.