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Businesses were urged to throw their weight behind the Jobs Foundation at its regional launch in Dorset. The charity held its first South West Business Council event with presentations about its work, a panel discussion and questions and answer session. It champions business as a force for good which creates employment, lifts people out of poverty and boosts social mobility. More than 40 supporters attended its South West Business Council launch at the Captain’s Club in Christchurch. Regional chairman Simon Boyd, who is managing director of Christchurch-based REIDsteel, led the panel discussion with Jobs Foundation president Lord Elliott of Mickle Fell, Aspire Jobs managing director Helen Stacey and Tim Lloyd, who is president of Christchurch Chamber of Trade and Commerce and managing director of the Captain’s Club Hotel and Spa. Topics included the Employment Rights Bill, the South West jobs market, the hospitality sector, industries best positioned to provide jobs of the future and policy proposals to help businesses create the jobs needed to move two million people from welfare into work. The role of AI, apprenticeships, higher education, workplace-ready training for young people, the Budget, underrepresentation of women in the workplace and support for disabled people in employment were among the topics which generated engaging discussions during the Q&A. Lord Elliott called for businesses to raise awareness of its proposals for a new Skills Tax Relief in the Budget to enable businesses to recoup costs associated with apprenticeships, vocational training and work-based learning to create jobs for nearly one million young people not in education, employment or training. REIDsteel was among the earliest supporters of the Jobs Foundation, which has now has more than 1,300 members on its business council nationwide. Simon, who is a trustee of the foundation, issued a rallying cry for people to join. “Numbers started as a trickle but are steadily growing across the business community. “The more businesses we have, the more power we can generate to pass on expertise to help more people into work and effect policy change.” He added: “The Jobs Foundation is a fantastic vehicle of opportunity for young people, disabled people, older people, those out of work and for businesses to come together to share good ideas and do what’s right for our community, our people and our country.“ The South West is the second regional Business Council to be launched nationwide, after the North East in May. Its next event is a policy roundtable at Exeter College in November with 75 business leaders from across the South West. Georgiana Bristol, chief executive of the Jobs Foundation, said: “We were delighted to launch our South West Business Council. “It will host regional policy roundtables, contribute to the Jobs Foundation’s research programme and become a crucial network for our accreditation scheme when it launches in 2026. “Thanks go to our panel, everyone who attended the launch and our South West Business Council Chairman, Simon Boyd, and REIDsteel, without who this event would not have been possible.” The foundation is an independent, non-partisan charity. Its council is free to join. Global structural steel firm REIDsteel was among the founder members of its business council and featured in its launch video. Visit https://thejobsfoundation.com/ to find out more about the Jobs Foundation and https://thejobsfoundation.com/join-us/ to join its business council.