St Helens Chamber is delighted to be working with Edge Hill University as we welcome them on board as our latest Strategic Partner.
Through this new partnership the Chamber will be working closely with the business team at Edge Hill’s Productivity and Innovation Centre in Ormskirk, enabling Chamber Members to access the expert advice offered by the Centre, especially around product and service innovation, data science and digital business.
Edge Hill University is well known in St Helens and holds Gold in the national Teaching Excellence Framework for delivering ‘consistently outstanding teaching, learning and outcomes for its students’.
The Productivity and Innovation Centre’s team specialises in unlocking the potential insights data can hold for a company, and using digital technologies as the basis for driving profitable growth.
Kath Boullen, Chief Executive at St Helens Chamber, comments: “We are delighted to welcome Edge Hill as a Strategic Partner and form this exciting new alliance as part of our efforts to bridge the gap between Business and Education.
“Edge Hill is one of the select few universities to have held the coveted ‘UK University of the Year’ title, awarded by Times Higher Education and their track record in supporting student employability is especially commendable, demonstrated by 96.6% of their full-time first degree graduates finding work or further study within six months of graduating.
“We are very excited by the opportunities arising from this new partnership.”
Edge Hill is particularly interested in working with small and medium sized businesses to help them enter the digital economy. Through the Local Growth Hub, the Chamber can now broker support from Edge Hill’s Productivity and Innovation Centre, providing businesses with the chance to focus on a business opportunity or challenge with the support of their big data science technologies and experts.
Kath Boullen adds: “The launch of the Chamber’s new digital centre, Clickworks, will be an exciting opportunity to showcase the digital assistance Edge Hill University can provide.
“During the autumn we will be hosting a series of expert seminars delivered by the Productivity and Innovation Centre’s academic team, providing local businesses with access to the best national research and knowledge, completely free and right here in St Helens.”
As a result of the Strategic Partnership St Helens Chamber will be able to offer start-up support and space in the Enterprise Greenhouse, to new graduates from Edge Hill University who wish to start or develop their own businesses.
The Chamber’s Apprentices will be able to progress into higher education and higher level Apprenticeships via the link with Edge Hill. Edge Hill is also keen to work with local businesses who are able to offer work placements and internships for students.
Providing internships and hiring a graduate can be a huge boost to business productivity and the Chamber will be offering assistance to work with Edge Hill to find exactly the right graduate for local businesses.
George Talbot Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) & Dean of Arts & Sciences at Edge Hill University, said: “Our partnership with St Helens Chamber provides a multitude of opportunities; for local enterprises who are able to benefit from the wealth of expertise at the University, for students to learn by working directly with local businesses and for potential employers who can gain valuable support through Apprenticeships, placements and internship possibilities.
To find out more about working with Edge Hill University, please contact the Local Growth Hub team at St Helens Chamber on 01744 742444 or email growthhub@sthelenschamber.com
