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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 business side of Cowes Week may not be of much concern to sailors and spectators but it's a vital aspect for the organisers and many businesses in Cowes.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

Although the Island's maritime industry is not be as vibrant as it once was, there are still plenty of marine companies whose contribution to the Island's economy is essential; we spoke to key businesses and organisations in the sector to find out about the future.

From small beginnings in 1983, the Garlic Festival now attracts over 20,000 visitors; David Holmes, Chairman of the festival explains why the event goes from strength to strength.

Elaine Cesar from the Council's events team explained why the Walking and Cycling Festivals are such a great way to enjoy the Island.

The Film Festival was set up by the Minghella family to continue Anthony's legacy and provide a platform for showcasing the artists and filmmakers that he still inspires; Gioia Minghella explained more about the festival.

Summer Madness began on the Island in 2009 when organiser John curd spotted a gap in the market for a one day music event aimed at the 30 plus age group; we spoke to John about the setting up of the event.

Cowes Week has been going since 1826 and is one of the biggest events held on the Island each year; Michelle Warner Sales and Marketing Director of Cowes Week Ltd told us more about the regatta.

Bestival started as a small event seven years ago and has grown to become the last big festival of the season; Rob da Bank told us how it has developed.

Robin Hill is an award winning countryside attraction, set in eight acres of beautiful woodland on the Isle of Wight; Darren Cool explained why it's such a good venue for hosting events.

The Island hosts an array of unique events every year; we found out why event organisers love the Island as a venue, and why they choose to stage world class events here.

Leader of the Isle of Wight Council, David Pugh, spoke about the Eco Island initiative, and outlined his hopes for the future of the project.

Island Waste are the leading waste management company on the Island; working together with the community, they promote recycling and reuse and aim to reducing the amount of waste going to landfill; Lynn Clarke told us more about their system.

As experts in the recycling of electronic equipment and electrical products, Jadestone can help your business to protect and improve our environment; Matt Harlow explained what Jadestone can offer and talked about the future of recycling electronics.

The Chale Community Project has been set up to help Chale residents break the cycle of fuel poverty and start to improve their quality of lives, whilst saving money; Malcolm Groves, Head of the Steering Group told us more.