Employability and skills conference 2022

Professor Chris Day, Vice-Chancellor and President, Newcastle University

• Professor Karen Bryan OBE, Vice-Chancellor, York St John University

Professor Bryan will speak about key recommendations and findings from Yorkshire Universities' upcoming report ‘Supporting Graduate Employment and Employability in Yorkshire’.

• Greg Burke, Director of Place and Civic Engagement, Sheffield Hallam University and Programme Director, The Civic Universities Network
• Rebecca Cox, Principal Policy Adviser, Local Government Association 
• Michael Wood, Head of Health Economic Partnerships and Anchor Strategy Advisor for NHS London, NHS Confederation
• Professor Karen Bryan OBE, Vice-Chancellor, York St John University

With a backdrop of a government prioritising the ‘levelling up agenda’, this session will bring in different perspectives on how universities can work in partnership with industry to respond and contribute to the UK’s overall economic and social recovery.

• Dr Nalayini Thambar, Director of Careers and Employability at The University of Nottingham, and Board Director, AGCAS
• Stephanie May, Early Careers Development Consultant, Experian
• Dr Helen Hughes, Associate Professor, University of Leeds

Since the workplace environment has significantly changed, what are the opportunities and barriers for students entering the world of work? What flexibility is required from careers services and employers to adapt to the changing economy and how will this be reflected in wider and long-term strategies?

Professor Chris Day, Vice-Chancellor and President, Newcastle University

Hosted by: Myles Hanlon, Policy Researcher, Universities UK

In this networking session, you can meet colleagues and swap best practices and solutions to sector-wide challenges. This discussion will focus on support for students from widening participation backgrounds. Bring your drink of choice, turn your camera and microphone on and get settled in for a lively discussion.

• Ceri Nursaw, Chief Executive, National Centre for Entrepreneurship in Education (NCEE)
• Professor Paul Jones, Professor in Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Swansea University
• Chris Russell, Senior Policy Advisor for Skills, Innovation and Digital, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)
• Chair: Greg Wade, Policy Manager, Universities UK

In this session, we will hear why universities should be supporting more student entrepreneurs and the benefits of placing a greater emphasis on teaching entrepreneurship. Discussion will include best practice, barriers to students beginning entrepreneurial journeys, and engaging SMEs in placement opportunities.

• Hannah Essex, Co-Executive Directors, British Chamber of Commerce
• Professor Conor Moss, Group Director, Business Engagement, Skills and Employability and Professor of Work-Based Learning, Sheffield Hallam University
• Chris Hobson, Director of Policy and External Affairs, East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire)
• Chair: Rowan Fisher, Policy Researcher, Universities UK

This session will introduce some of the work being trailblazed by regional areas to create Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIP) and Skills Advisory Panels and discuss how universities can engage with these.

• Sam Callear, Deputy Director for Policy and New Concepts, Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education
• Susan Patrick, Head of Apprenticeships, Solent University
• Brendan Coulson, Education Project Start-up Lead, Nottingham Trent University 
• Chair: Greg Wade, Policy Manager, Universities UK

This session outlines the context for higher technical education and some examples of how universities are engaging with it. With a government so focused on ‘levelling up’, can higher technical education and degree apprenticeships be a key way to contribute to this agenda?

• Joe Taylor, Senior Policy Manager, National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB)
• Rajay Naik, CEO, Skilled Education
• Matt Hutnell, Director, Santander Universities 
• Chair: Dr Mary Mahoney, Director of Access and Lifelong Learning, University of Wolverhampton 

Lifelong learning is key to a flexible, changing economy where workforce skills cannot keep up with business needs and employer demands. In this session, we will hear from key contributors to the lifelong learning strategy and the role of universities. We will also hear about recent developments in the lifelong learning loan entitlement and how this could be a positive step for mature learners to access a flexible and modular education. 

Host: Sarah Bevan, Policy Manager, Universities UK

In this networking session, you can meet colleagues and swap best practices and solutions to sector-wide challenges. This discussion will focus on relating employability and sustainability. Bring your drink of choice, turn your camera and microphone on, and get settled in for a lively discussion.

Professor Malcolm Press CBE, Vice-Chancellor, Manchester Metropolitan University

• Dr Charlie Ball, Senior Consultant: Labour Market Intelligence, Jisc

• Stephen Isherwood, Chief Executive, Institute of Student Employers (ISE) 

• Sherma Johnson-Gray, Careers Consultant & Coach, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) 
• Martin Edmondson, Chief Executive, Gradcore

The debate about the value of graduates continues and this session will present the latest findings on ‘myth-busting’ the state of graduate employment, as well as discuss different perspectives on the current state of the student employment landscape.

• Gianina Harvey-Brewin, Associate Director, Employability & Apprenticeships, University of Greenwich
• Clare Adams, Head of Education Strategy, Handshake UK
• Niamh O Regan, Researcher, Social Market Foundation

This session will showcase findings and recommendations from different careers support research. The discussion will focus on inequalities in the labour market that affect students from underrepresented backgrounds and opportunities for students that can help combat this.

• Margaret Burgin, Head of Careers, Screen Skills   
• Richard Smith, Engagement Director, Talentview Aviation
• Kelly Nicholls, Chief Executive Officer, Tech Skills
• Robin Oldham, Course Director: Computer Science & Digital Apprenticeships, Staffordshire Higher Skills and Engagement Pathways (SHSEP), Staffordshire University
• Claire Tunley, Chief Executive, Financial Services Skills Commission (FSSC)

This session is dedicated to how university and employer collaborations are key to meeting future skills needs. We will hear from different industries about how they work with universities to embed employer needs into the curriculum to develop graduates to meet future demands.

Professor Malcolm Press CBE, Vice-Chancellor, Manchester Metropolitan University