President reaffirms commitment to 'next generation '

Sutton Coldfield Chamber of Commerce will continue to encourage better links between business and the next generation of employees, president Phil Arkinstall has vowed.

Speaking at the Chamber 's annual general meeting at The Townhouse, Mr Arkinstall (pictured) reaffirmed his commitment to supporting young people who are “faced with one of the hardest environments to enter the job market ”.

He highlighted the organisation 's support for initiatives such as the Sutton Coldfield Youth Council, set up by Chamber committee member Councillor Alex Yip.

Mr Arkinstall, the CEO of video production firm Ark Media, said: “Young people today are faced with one of the hardest environments to enter the job market due to Brexit, Covid, interruptions to degrees, A-Levels and GCSE exams.

“Therefore, within our Chamber we introduced a sub-committee to focus on connections with education to help our young people in Sutton Coldfield and the wider area.

“We are aiming to engage with young people around interview practice, workshops, career advice, and fundraising events and help them to get work-ready particularly around mindset.

“We want to continue to support young people and encourage better connections between the local schools and colleges and our members. ”

Attendees at the AGM were told of some of the Sutton Coldfield Chamber 's success stories over the past 12 months.

Around 400 delegates from 160 firms have attended 13 in-person events in Sutton Coldfield since September 2021.

More than 240 businesses in the Royal Town have been contacted by the Chamber team about support and engagement over the last year, while around 250 press releases featuring over 50 Sutton-based companies featured in the Chamber 's weekly news bulletin.