The first couple of months of 2022 have been even more busy than usual at the Chamber!

Businesses were still reeling from another wave of disruption caused by the surge of the Omicron variant and our activities once again went back online. If nothing else, Covid has made many of us more agile than ever and we were able to support our members with access to a series of virtual business growth events to help them plan and develop strategies for the year ahead.

We are currently in discussions with our partners to build on this for 2023 to create a “business growth festival” to provide even more support, advice and expertise for our local businesses at the start of the year.

Earlier this month the Chamber was delighted to be one of the main partners in the #InspireWDC Careers Fair as part of the Chamber’s Building Bridges Skills Development Programme. Working alongside West Dunbartonshire Council, Skills Development Scotland and Developing Young Workforce West, a host of videos, interviews, “industry insights” and other resources have been developed.

These are really valuable to help our young people to learn about the careers available to them, different pathways as well as crucial skills to improve their employability. The involvement of local businesses provided us with relatable insights from our business community to inspire our young people and help build their aspirations.

As part of the Chamber’s strategic development we are planning to expand our range of training and support for businesses in 2022 and will host a series of sessions in partnership with some of our wonderful members.

With just a few places left, our first one-day Emergency First Aid at Work, delivered by Total Health & Safety, has already proved popular and will be held in the wonderful surroundings of Strathleven House (above) in the Vale of Leven Industrial Estate on Thursday, February 24.

If any businesses miss out on this event we would encourage them to get in touch as we will repeat this on a regular basis – for larger numbers we can arrange training to suit and on site if required. A number of themes will be covered going forward including Fire Safety, Asbestos Awareness and Mental Health at Work.

We are delighted to report that, following continued investment in the ‘Chamber Hub’ located at the Whitecrook Business Centre in Clydebank, we are now able to host more events and training at this well-located facility. With full state-of-the-art conferencing facilities and catering by arrangement it is also available for use by our members at a reduced rate with a capacity of up to 25 depending on layout and event.

Plans are underway to provide improved streaming and video services to allow for hybrid events to take place from the Hub.

To find out more or to connect with the Chamber contact: 0141 280 0272 admin@dunbartonshirechamber.co.uk | www.dunbartonshirechamber.co.uk