The Kier Construction Retention Task Group looking at graduate retention in the Central South UK was launched by Michelle McKechnie, Senior Business Development Manager and Rachel Darke, Kier’s Corporate Social Responsibility Co-ordinator as part of the recent Workforce South briefing.
They will be working with experts from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) based in Titchfield and the University of Southampton. ONS compiled data for the Central South which was published at last year’s Annual Conference and it showed the Central South has a higher rate of graduate migration into the area but there is an overall loss of graduates.
Helping business leaders to understand how AI can benefit their organisation was at the heart of the discussion at the Workforce South Briefing held at Southampton Football Club in the Matt Le Tissier Suite.
Addressing some of the fears and showing the potential for AI in a commercial setting fell to Dr. John Flackett, Head and Co-founder of AiLab | Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
“If you grew up with Terminator films you are typically terrified of AI,” he observed. “There is a massive difference between the younger generation and older people and that has always been the case when it comes to technology.”
Piers Collins, Co-Founder of Hundo.ai explained how AI had helped with the development of a platform his company has developed that is set to revolutionise the way young people prepare to enter the world of work.
Cllr. Zoe Huggins, chair of Workforce South, the Business South Action Group, expertly led the conversation during the panel discussion which also included Dan Fawcett, Legal Director (Employment Law), Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP and 🌟Laura Bowyer, HR, Employment Law and Mediation specialist at The Affable Partnership
Business South Group CEO, Leigh-Sara Timberlake said the content of the briefing was gold dust for business leaders who are navigating the effect AI is having and will continue to have on their sector.
“We were so lucky to have such eloquent and engaging speakers to bring this fascinating topic to life,” she said.
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