East Midlands People and Skills Conference - 2026: A Framework for Growth

With its strategic location and diverse industrial base, the East Midlands is well positioned to drive UK economic growth, providing a pivotal moment right now – significant opportunity is in reach but needs to be unlocked, and central to this is ensuring the skills and workforce landscape is fit for purpose.

Over the last 12 months our Quarterly Economic Survey has revealed 6 out of 10 East Midlands firms have had difficulty finding employees with the required level of skill to fill a vacancy, which is holding back growth and not providing training and opportunities for those seeking employment, that align with the needs of businesses.

Through a range of keynote speakers, workshops and panel discussions the 2026 Conference will focus on the key areas that will enable economic growth, through targeted skills reform, improved recruitment, retention and productivity gains, including how we to develop sustainable interventions that support better business engagement with educators.

On the day there will be a particular focus on the key asks set out in the Chamber’s Framework for Growth, where we will explore at how we can:

- Create Flexible Skills Funds for SMEs and Microbusinesses
- Align Skills Funding with Business and Workforce Planning Cycles
- Simplify Access to Government Training and Skills Schemes
- Build a stronger, fairer and more resilient economy by developing workplaces that are inclusive, diverse and equitable.


Agenda

- 9:00 AM — Artificial Intelligence and Employment: Implications for Young People: Professor Eva Selenko, Professor in Work Psychology, Loughborough University.
- 10:00 AM — Economic performance and the impact of the National Living Wage in the East Midlands: Maxwell Read, Senior Researcher, Centre for Cities.
- 11:00 AM — Inclusive Growth in Practice: How EDI Is Shaping Skills Investment in the East Midlands: Latest findings from the Chamber's and emh Group research on EDI in the workplace and Panel Discussion.
- 12:00 PM — Update of the current climate of employment challenges: Including the impact of the Employment Rights Act, Nick Benton, Partner, Howes Percival.
- 12:30 PM — Panel discussion - attracting and retaining talent, and improving productivity: Featuring Nick Benton, Nikki Slack, Professor Eva Selenko, Pino De Rosa.
- 1:00 PM — Workshops: Various sessions including 'Why Good People Leave' and 'Stop Training. Start Changing'.


Speakers

Professor Eva Selenko — Professor in Work Psychology
Loughborough University

Maxwell Read — Senior Researcher
Centre for Cities

Nick Benton — Partner
Howes Percival

Nikki Slack — Assistant Principal
Vision West Notts

Pino De Rosa — Founder and Managing Director
Bridgeway Consulting

Marilla Bianco — Director
Work’n’Diversity CIC

James Ferraby — Co-Founder & Director
Digital Planning

Dr Ollie Hart — Managing Director
Peak Health Coaching

Dr Elizabeth Rozario — The Caregiving Journey CIC

Cheryl Travers — Reader in Organizational Psychology
Loughborough University

Susan Boon — Work Opportunities and Partnerships
Careers Network, Loughborough University

Si Beales — Founder & Learning Director
Sidedoor Studio


Who this is for

Businesses, educators, and individuals interested in economic growth and skills development.