FENLAND business leaders can help shape the district’s skills agenda at a summit taking place next month.

The Fenland Skills Summit takes place at the Boathouse Business Centre, in Wisbech, on March 31 and gives entrepreneurs the chance to voice the skills needs of their company.

The event is organised by Cambridgeshire County Council’s work-related learning services team, Fenland District Council’s economic development team, Fenland 14-19 Partnership and Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce.

It is sponsored by the Cambs Times, Business Link, the College of West Anglia and University Centre Peterborough.

A Fenland Council spokesman said: “By pre-empting the skills that businesses will need in the future, providers will then be able to equip themselves to meet those needs.”

Delegates will hear from Jaqui Fairfax, managing director of Commercial Utility Brokers (UK) Ltd of March and the new chairman of Fenland Chamber of Commerce, about her company’s commitment to recruiting locally.

She will outline the benefits that sourcing local talent has brought to her company, detailing how they proactively engage with schools and the ways in which they invest in the ongoing development of their existing workforce.

Jon Allen, managing director of Pike Textiles of Wisbech, will also highlight skills issues within the manufacturing industry sector and share ideas for the way forward.

In the afternoon a Big Conversation will take place between businesses and post-16 students about the work experience programme in Fenland.

Information from this event will be collected and analysed by partners and a plan of action to improve work experience will be put in place.

• Attendance to both events is free, however places must be booked in advance. For more information, contact Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce on 01733 370809 or e-mail k.hewitt@cambscci.co.uk