Gathering skills - the USA way …

Chamber chief executive Nigel Tomlinson and head of business development Paul Reeves have returned from a trip to Pittsburgh, USA, having shared Chamber initiatives – and picked up some American methods along the way.

The Chamber’s visit was organised by the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance (PRA) who invited Paul and Nigel to look at the developments in support for manufacturing and skills shortages and how Pittsburgh has addressed previous regeneration deficits.

Said Paul: “Pittsburgh and Sheffield share a lot of similarities. Both cities were built on steel and have undergone a great deal of economic regeneration in recent years.”

The pair were also able to learn more about Pittsburgh’s work in the field of enterprise and how the Americans’ techniques could assist Sheffield in its implementation of the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI).

Paul and Nigel met up with Sheffield-born PRA vice president Suzi Pegg, Carl Knoblock of the US Small Business Administration, Barbara McNees of the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce and Doris Carson Williams of the African American Chamber of Commerce.

Said Paul: “We learned a lot about the Young Professional Network that is being run by Pittsburgh Technology Council and were able to share with them Sheffield’s new initiatives such as Young Chamber, u-xplore and developments on our student member offering.

“It was also interesting to meet up with Bill Strickland of the soon-to-be-published book ‘Make the Impossible Possible’ and hear his background in supporting the growth of an education centre in a disadvantaged part of Pittsburgh, offering young people opportunities in creative and digital, sciences and arts and technological sectors.”

The visit continued to Philadelphia where the two met with Innovation Philadelphia - an equivalent to Creative Sheffield - and also met with Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.

“We welcomed the news that Innovation Philadelphia is investigating the possibility of sending a speaker to participate in and address the 2008 Economic Summit,” added Paul.

Sheffield Chamber also presented both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia Chambers with commemorative 150th anniversary coins.