Trailblazer aiming to bridge divide

4:29pm Monday 7th April 2008

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Skills and training have been popular business buzzwords recently.

For Colchester businesswoman Juliet Price they are more than words. They are challenges she is keen to develop into success stories.

As soon-to-be chairman, and the first female chairman, of the Essex branch of the Institute of Directors (IoD), Mrs Price has several clear ideas about what she wants to accomplish during her three-year term as chairman.

"I want to tackle the skills agenda," she said. "I want to talk to members about the skills gap and bring education and business together via events and meetings.

"Ninety per cent of directors tell us that skills are the biggest issues they face, in terms of bringing students into work from education," she said.

"They say people coming into the workplace do not know how to present themselves, how to set out their CVs, communicate with people or have a good work ethic."

It seems to be an issue close to her heart and, as she is based in Colchester, she is looking forward to organising events in and around the town.

"I am looking forward to having a more local engagement with businesses and the more we can do that, the more effective the Essex IoD can be. I want to hear about the issues they face."