Skills Unlocked Event Brings Education and Industry Together to Shape Future Workforce

Leading educators, employers and innovators came together last week for Skills Unlocked; a forward-thinking event hosted by Loughborough College Group’s Stephenson College in Coalville. 

The event, part of the wider Leicestershire Innovation Festival, aimed to strengthen collaboration between education and industry to address future skills challenges, showcasing how partnerships can drive economic growth and better align education with workforce needs. Through interactive sessions and collaborative discussions, attendees explored how closer links between employers, educators, and learners can help build a more agile, inclusive, and future-ready workforce. 

A key theme of the event was inclusive employment, highlighting the importance of supporting special educational needs (SEN) and neurodiversity in the workplace. In a session led by EHCP Transition and Partnership Lead at Loughborough College, Miriam Tack, employers were given practical tools and insights to create inclusive environments and demonstrating how diversity can deliver measurable benefits for organisations. Following the enlightening session, logistics company DHL Aviation presented a case study of the work they do for employee inclusion in their hub based near East Midlands Airport.

Attendees also heard from Loughborough College Group Assistant Principal for Apprenticeships, Jenny Dryden, in an informative seminar on developing untapped talent through various Apprenticeship programmes.

The event also addressed the growing impact of digital transformation, in a two-part session exploring artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, designed to help organisations boost productivity and prepare for the rapidly growing world of AI. Hosted by Steven Barradell, Managing Director of local creative agency Graffio Arts, the session covered ever-evolving artificial intelligence programmes, before handing over to Digital T Level students Jai Pearce and Vlad Pustea, who are currently on their industry placement, to discuss their experiences with AI and importance of education and business partnerships.

Reflecting on the successful event, Jonny Watkin, Principal of Stephenson College emphasised the significance of collaboration in tackling future skills challenges, sharing: “By connecting employers, students, innovators, and the local community, Skills Unlocked has become a space where education and industry come together to shape real solutions for the skills challenges of tomorrow.

“We are showing how powerful collaboration can be in driving productivity, championing inclusion and supporting sustainable regional growth.” 

Skills Unlocked forms part of a wider commitment by Loughborough College Group to ensure education remains closely aligned with industry needs, equipping learners with practical, job-ready skills while helping businesses build strong talent pipelines.

By bringing together key stakeholders from across the region, the event reinforced the importance of strategic collaboration in shaping a workforce capable of meeting both current demands and future opportunities.