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Welcome to the first edition of 2020 Vision for 2015.
We launched the campaign three years ago with the aim of creating a more prosperous and dynamic region by the year 2020.
The initiative has grown from an idea to unite our region to one which is owned and embraced by the leading companies and organisations across Teesside.
We want to make sure the Government understands how unified Teesside businesses are in seeking a clear route forward for the region and will continue to lobby to create the best economic climate for this to happen.
Our 2020 backers are dedicated to their businesses – but are all sparing time to be part of the wider Teesside Vision.
The 2020 Vision campaign will continue to champion the area, celebrate success and will be an insistent voice heard regionally, nationally and in Whitehall.
The theme for 2015 is the skills agenda, whether it is through training and apprenticeships or education.
There is little doubt that Teesside has companies, organisations and sectors at the cutting edge nationally and internationally, but do they have the necessary skills base to ensure growth and success for the long-term?
A number of companies – particularly in the manufacturing sector - have warned that they have a highly-skilled workforce which, over the years to come, will become depleted through retirements. They are concerned that there are not ready-made recruits to replace them and their ambitions of growth may be threatened.
This is partly because of a change of policy generally away from taking on young people on apprenticeships.
An apprenticeship was a badge of honour for young people up to two or three decades ago. Over time, though, the numbers fell dramatically. There still remain a number of smaller companies which may wish to take on apprentices but do not have the long-term contracts to make it viable.
There is, however, a new sense of purpose that training good young people to provide a skilled and committed workforce for the future is the way to go.
The Gazette has joined with some of the leading companies in the North-east for our Proud To Back Apprenticeships campaign which makes the case for businesses to train their own.
And it is with apprenticeships that we start our 2020 Vision coverage for 2015 and some of Teesside’s leading business people talk about the importance of training young people to bring long-term health to their sectors.
Hundreds of events will take place next month across the country to mark the annual National Apprenticeship Week. Hopefully, this will raise their profile further and encourage more firms to consider taking that route.
During the year, we will also develop the themes of leadership, the links between education and industry, employment in the health sector and how to capitalise on the vast network of businesses working with each other across Teesside.
I hope you enjoy our coverage and feel our region is going forward with a sense of purpose and momentum, and I would love to hear your stories of success.
- Chris Styles, Editor, The Gazette
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