Island Business Online

GKN run a range of training programmes for apprentices and realise they bring great benefit to the company; Janet Westwood, Training and HR Officer for GKN told us more about what they offer.

As one of the Island's largest employers, GKN Aerospace is involved in various training and apprenticeship programmes. 

Unitrain provides bespoke training courses in IT, personal development, project management and management sales; Kieren Chapman, Director of Unitrain talks about his business and how the training sector is coping through the recession.

Kieren Chapman , Director of Unitrain, formed the company in 2007, after moving to the Island to get away from the rat race.

Jon Ely, Chief Executive of the UK Sailing Academy (UKSA) talked to Island Business about training for the maritime sector and the challenges faced by the charity in the current economic climate.

The UK Sailing Academy (UKSA) was founded in Cowes in 1986 by MFI creator Noel Lister, an entrepreneur and keen sailor; based in Cowes the charity was set up to achieve two things; personal development and maritime education.

Pannier Market is a new initiative being developed by the Regional Training and Regeneration Trust (RT2) to bring a permanent marketplace to Newport; Sarah Edwards, founder of RT2 explained how this will benefit the Island through training and opportunities connected to its development.

Pannier Market is a scheme to bring a market place and market philosophy back to Newport and the Isle of Wight and aims to support regeneration and training through locally based initiatives.

Island Training run a diverse range of training schemes to help people of all ages to improve their skills and employability; Fidelma Washington, Director of Workforce Skills spoke to Island Business about what they offer.

Island Training at the Isle of Wight College deliver training in areas as diverse as engineering, construction, hospitality, and horticulture, as well as office-based administration including customer service, IT, management, and team leading. 

HTP is one of the largest providers of training and apprenticeships on the Isle of Wight; Rachael Fidler spoke to Island Business about the benefits to industry of taking on apprentices and training in a recovering economy.

From a staff of only two, HTP training has been in business for over 10 years on the Island and now employs nearly 100 people who operate across the whole of the Isle of Wight and the South East.

Andrew Turner is positive about training the future workforce on the Island but is aware that it needs to be the right training in order to encourage more work based training; he spoke to Island Business about his views on this.

Isle of Wight Member of Parliament Andrew Turner considered the way in which the Island's business landscape has changed in the past 10–15 years when he talks about training the Island's workforce.

The Isle of Wight offers a wide variety of training opportunities for people of all ages and experience levels; Island Business spoke to some of the key people involved in the sector to find out what's on offer and how it can help your business.

The Coalition Government has promised to deliver the strong medicine that will safeguard the UK's future economic health; but with small businesses continuing to fold at an alarming rate and some economists raising the prospect of a double dip recession, will the training sector also become a casualty of the continuing downturn?

Yarmouth Harbour Commission have plans to redevelop the marina, and Harbour Master Chris Lisher explains how the plans will effect Yarmouth and the Island's marine industry.

Yarmouth may be famous for hosting the Old Gaffer Festival in June but they also host a variety of other marine events, and also have plans for redevelopment of the harbour.

Based on the Medina river front in Cowes, South Boats was started over 12 years ago by Clive Jeffrey after he finished working as a yard bosun at FBM marine.

The Inshore Lifeboat Centre (ILC) is a big business within the Island's marine economy; Glyn Ellis, Operations Manager, explained more about the work they do.

The Inshore Lifeboat Centre (ILC) at East Cowes is part of the RNLI, and is responsible for building all the UK’s inshore lifeboats, carrying out repair, maintenance and refits, as well as testing and R&D work.

Stuart Quarrie, CEO of Cowes Week Ltd. talks about the importance of Cowes Week to the Island's economy, and how changing trends will effect the marine sector in the future.

Cowes Week Ltd. work closely with the local community and local businesses to ensure Cowes Week is a success for the thousands of people who take part or watch.

Many Island businesses are SMEs and being associated with a cluster means they are more confident to take on large projects; Barry Groves explains how Cowes Marine Cluster can help marine businesses.

Cowes Marine Cluster was originally formed with a grant from the South East England Development Agency so that member businesses were able to bid for bigger marine contracts.

It was over ten years ago that inspiration came to Sean Strevens, founder and partner of Cheetah Marine, to start building catamarans.

Cowes Harbour Commission ensure the harbour and the river medina are managed efficiently; Captain Stuart McIntosh talks about how important these assets are to the Island's economy, and explains how the outer harbour project will benefit the Island.