The Catapult Network is coming together to celebrate our contribution towards UK skills and understanding how to shape a diverse multi-skilled nation.
A skilled workforce is vital to our ability to rise to some of the great challenges we face as a nation: climate change, effective healthcare, resilient economic prosperity and levelling up. We know that access to skills is a key consideration for investors, but we know that too often businesses across the sectoral waterfront can struggle to find or develop the talents they need. EY’s annual UK Attractiveness Survey found that 59% of companies find it difficult or very difficult to find the right staff.
If we want the UK economy to be at the forefront of new sectors, we have to think about skills and the skills system and work to make sure that employers can access the skills needed to harness the power of new technologies and seize new opportunities. The Catapult Network, focussing on cutting-edge technologies, is lending its weight to the challenge of transforming the availability of key skills within the UK workforce.
It is imperative that any plans for the future ensure diversity and inclusivity are central to making innovation thrive. A year on from Catapult Network CEOs signing the ED&I Charter, our event will look into the critical links that the skills mission has with diversity, inclusivity, places and much more.
| Time | Agenda Item | Speakers / Additional Information | ||
| Host Catapult: CSAC, Compere: Alex Leadley | ||||
| 12:00 | Lunch & Registration | PhD and Apprentice Showcase, VR demo from DC | ||
| 13:00 | Opening Address | Councillor Jane Mudd, Newport City Council | ||
| 13:10 | Catapult Network Welcome | Katherine Bennett, Chair of the Catapult Network and CEO of HVMC and Martin McHugh, CEO of CSAC | ||
| 13:20 | DfE Representative | Zoe Conn, Skills Strategy Lead, Department for Education | ||
| 13:40 | Catapult Network Experiences and Learnings | CSAC – Alex Leadley, ORE – Michelle Hitches, CGTC – Stephen Stewart/Ben Moseley, HVMC – TBC | ||
| 14:15 | From Apprentice to Manager | Ruby Mould – Digital Catapult | ||
| BREAK (14:35 – 15:05) | ||||
| 15:05 | Workshops | Shaping Future Skills in ED&I (HVMC) | Shaping Future Skills Regionally (CPC) | Shaping Future Skills Internationally (UKRI) |
| 16:05 | Expert Panel | Chaired by Guy Newey, Debbie Johnson (IUK), Kate Barclay (UK Bio Industry), Catapult Apprentice (TBC) | ||
| 16:55 | Closing Address | Katherine Bennett | ||
| 17:00 | Close | Photos, networking | ||
Register here