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The Centre for the New Midlands is delighted to be hosting a roundtable, in partnership with Talent Today, focussed on Skills to Success: Bridging Education and Employment.

The focus of our roundtable:

Across the Midlands, employers continue to report difficulties finding people with the right skills and workplace experience, while many young people and graduates struggle to translate their education into meaningful employment. As the economy evolves, ensuring that our talent pipeline meets the needs of modern employers is increasingly critical to the region’s long-term prosperity.

This roundtable will bring together a select group of leaders to discuss how we can strengthen the connection between education pathways and real-world employment opportunities.

The discussion, over a three course meal, will focus on three key questions:

• What capabilities do employers most need, and where are current education pathways falling short?
• How can employers play a more active role in shaping education and career pathways?
• What practical steps could most improve the transition from education into employment over the next five years?

The session will be an informal and open discussion designed to surface ideas, insights, and potential collaborations that could help shape future work across the Midlands.  Our event sponsors, Talent Today, is a specialist IT recruitment consultancy delivering carefully assessed contractor talent across project delivery, software development, cloud and cybersecurity.  Talent Today have been members of our Reimagining the Region network since 2024 and we are delighted to be welcoming Gary Wills (CEO) to the lunch.

We are extremely conscious of how much work is being led across the region to try to tackle some of these enormous challenges, but crucially, these challenges still persist which are preventing young people fulfil their true potential and business from recruiting the talent it needs.

To express your interest in attending, please email events@thenewmidlands.org.uk

(Please note that priority on invitations will be for members of our Reimagining the Region network – if you and your organisation are not yet members, please click here for more information on how to join)

Join the Centre for the New Midlands for our Reimagining the Region Summer Reception, to be held in Birmingham on Thursday 4th June from 5pm – 8.30pm.

We are delighted to be welcoming Ed Cox (Chief Executive, West Midlands Combined Authority) as our guest speaker for the evening.

Following the discussion with our speaker – hosted in a fireside chat format – our delegates will be served a Thai buffet and have the opportunity to network over drinks in Chaophraya Birmingham.

Please note that this event is for Members of our Reimagining the Region network. Tickets are available for non-members to purchase, but this event is primarily aimed at our members’ network.

For further information on our current members list, please visit our website.   If your organisation is not yet a member of our network, please click here for more information and to join!  Annual rates start from £475 + VAT – we look forward to welcoming you.  Should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact chris@thenewmidlands.org.uk

Tickets are available by visiting our booking page – with the full programme due to be published on 8th April

If you and your organisation are interested in sponsoring this key event for the region, please contact Chris Smith via email (chris@thenewmidlands.org.uk).  Further information on the opportunities available can be found by clicking here

We are delighted to invite members of our Reimagining the Region network to Save the Date for our Winter Reception 2026, to be held in The Churchill Room at the Palace of Westminster on Monday 14th December, 6.30pm – 9.30pm.   

This event has been sponsored by Sarah Coombes MP (Member of Parliament for West Bromwich).

If your organisation is not yet a member of our network, please contact Chris Smith (Founder and CEO) via chris@thenewmidlands.org.uk to join.  Annual rates start from £475 + VAT – we look forward to welcoming you.  Should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact chris@thenewmidlands.org.uk