Empowering Local Businesses with ‘Leadership Thinking’.
Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Make Strides, a digital-first learning and development company specialising in both early-career and leadership programmes. Drawing on their expertise, this partnership will deliver digital training to equip businesses across the region with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital economy.
This new partnership responds directly to challenges faced by many small and medium-sized enterprises, including tight budgets, time constraints, and changing skills requirements. Our aim is to combat these challenges by working with Make Strides to deliver flexible, bite-sized online training that fits around work schedules. Initial training topics will cover:
- Early Career Development (ideal for young professionals entering the workplace)
- Leadership Capabilities (for rising managers and experienced leaders)
- Group Coaching
Sharon Smith, Chief Executive of the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber, said:
“Partnering with Make Strides allows us to bring thought leading, flexible, and outcome-driven digital training to local businesses. It aligns perfectly with our mission to support skills development and close the digital divide.
We understand that many of our clients, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, face significant barriers when it comes to training. Whether that’s time, cost, or access to relevant resources, this partnership directly tackles those challenges by offering accessible and flexible learning solutions that fit around the realities of working life.
Whether it’s upskilling young people just starting out in their careers or helping existing staff and leaders build their confidence, Make Strides brings the right blend of experience, innovation, and delivery. Together, we’re supporting sustainable business growth and long-term talent development across the region.
We are proud to add this new delivery format to our existing schedule of face to face training, where many of our clients still enjoy coming together in person for training, alongside the best practice sharing and engagement with each other that this brings. Nonetheless, in a changing consumer marketplace, a digital first option enables us to be flexible to all our customers and their varied needs, so we are delighted to now be able to offer different options for all.”
Melaine Hawkett & Gemma Stuart-Young, Directors of Make Strides, commented:
“We are absolutely thrilled to be partnering with the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce to deliver digital training that truly meets the needs of today’s businesses. At Make Strides, we’re passionate about bridging the region’s skills gap by offering flexible, inclusive, and accessible learning that empowers individuals at every stage of their career.
This partnership allows us to bring an alternative to traditional training – bite-sized, digital-first content designed to fit around real working lives, without compromising on quality or impact. We’re particularly excited to support both early career professionals and future leaders in building the confidence, capability, and mindset needed to thrive in a changing economy.
Together with the Chamber, we’re helping to shape a more agile, inclusive, and future-ready workforce across the region and beyond.”
Further details about this exciting new partnership, including the full training programme and how businesses can register, will be announced at the end of July.
In the meantime, if you have any questions or would like to express an early interest, please contact the Chamber’s Training Department at [email protected].