Investing in Skills for GrowthWednesday 23 March 2016, 08.00 to 12.30 Crowne Plaza: Liverpool City Centre

Danny HartHR Manager, Cammell Laird

Danny joined Cammell Laird in 2008 after having previous HR roles in contract services and retail. He studied Business Studies at Liverpool John Moores University and more recently Employment Law at Ilex Liverpool.

Since 2008 Cammell Lairds average intake of apprentices per year has been 19 and to date they have now recruited 191 apprentices with a retention rate of 98%. They have a structured recruitment and selection process for apprentices and 3 dedicated apprentice trainers. They are now recognised by customers for outstanding apprenticeship training.

Neil ParkinsonDirector, Curtins

Neil started working for Curtins as a junior technician in 1992. After graduating from Sheffield University in 1997, he spent 12 months as resident engineer in Douglas, Isle of Man. In 2001 Neil became a Chartered Structural Engineer and in 2003 was promoted to Associate and transferred to the Leeds office in order to strengthen the senior management team in the Yorkshire region. He was subsequently promoted to Technical Director in 2007 and to Executive Director in 2011.

Andy Simpson Business Development Director, Warrant Group

Andy has the responsibility for driving the company’s growth aspirations through a bespoke, solutions-based approach. As a member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, he has spent more than 30 years working in the sector and is a strong advocate of driving technology to meet increasingly complex supply chain landscapes.

Andy leads a dedicated team of corporate development managers at Warrant Group which operates a multi-modal product portfolio complemented by a globally connected network and a dynamic systems platform.

Sarah Hardy-Pickering Learning and Development Manager, Weightmans LLP.

Sarah spent the majority of her career teaching law and is now using her skills to develop and support lawyers in their day to day working lives.

She is instrumental in the success of apprenticeships at Weightmans and has forged a new career path for legal apprenticeships by recruiting, and successfully managing through to completion, the first Level 4 Legal Apprentice in the country.

Frank CrouwelManaging Director, NW Systems

Originally from a legal consultancy background, Frank has been involved with the CCTV industry since 1999.

As Managing Director of CCTV equipment manufacturer Charles Grant Ltd, Frank turned a loss-making company into a rapidly expanding and profitable firm within two years.

In 2003, Frank joined IP video company Evolve to oversee the firm’s expansion UK wide. It was from here he co-founded NW Systems Group. At NW Systems Frank’s main focus is on strategic partnerships, marketing planning and product management.

Kate WillardHead of Corporate Projects, Stobart Group

Stobart Group are a leading UK infrastructure and support services business operating in the aviation, renewable energy, rail and investments sectors. With a background in culture and creativity, Kate has lived and worked in Hungary, France and Belgium working as an independent regeneration expert with the European Commission on major transnational projects in employment, social cohesion and regional development. Kate is a LEP Board Member and is Chair of both the Atlantic Gateway and the Thames Gateway, South Essex Growth Partnership.

Sue Jarvis Assistant Executive Director of Policy and Partnerships, Knowsley MBC

Sue undertakes a prominent role to develop Liverpool City Region partnership working, and is the principal advisor for employment and skills to the Combined Authority, Local Enterprise Partnership and Employment and Skills Board. Most recently this involved leading the development work on employment and skills for the Devolution agreement with Government. In addition, Sue leads the Council’s policy and strategy function, ensuring this is underpinned by effective research and intelligence; corporate performance management and business improvement; projects and programmes; and local partnership working.

Siobhan Saunders Divisional Manager Employment, Learning & Skills (Halton Borough Council) and Chair of Liverpool City Region Apprenticeship Hub

Siobhan joined Halton Borough Council in 1999 and has undertaken a number of roles before her appointment as Divisional Manager Employment, Learning & Skills in 2008. The Division incorporates a number of areas including delivery of the DWP Work Programme, Adult Learning provision, Halton People into Jobs and the Halton Employment Partnership. Her role is instrumental in ensuring inward investment projects, such as the new Mersey Gateway Crossing, bringing local employment and skills benefits to the area.

PANELIST PROFILES

If you would like to employ an apprentice, then please contact the National Apprenticeship Service, either by calling 08000 150600 or via the following link: http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/employers/employer-online-enquiry-form.aspx

Elaine BowkerPrincipal / Chief Executive, The City of Liverpool College

Elaine Bowker was appointed Principal of The City of Liverpool College on 1st June 2011 and holds the position of Chief Executive of The City of Liverpool College Group.

She sits on the boards of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, Tate Liverpool and Scottish Power and is a Commissioner on the Liverpool Fairness Commission, as well as a member of the LEP Advisory Council. She is Director of the national training provider First4Skills and the shared services business SharEd, part of The City of Liverpool College group.

Paula Rowland Assistant Principal Technologies and Work based Learning, Hugh Baird College

Paula started out as an English teacher in a secondary school in 1989. In 2012 she moved to Liverpool to become Director of Construction and Engineering at Hugh Baird College but soon branched out to lead on a wide variety of curriculum areas. Her drive and enthusiasm quite simply comes from working in a skills based sector that seeks to train people for the world of work and clearly adds value to the individual and communities. Paula is committed to playing her part in the growth and prosperity of the Liverpool City Region.

Natassia SinclairLegal Apprentice, Weightmans

Natassia, aged 21, turned down a place she was offered at the University of Liverpool, after listening to a talk from Weightmans, delivered at her high school.

She believed that the apprenticeship route was a better way to become a solicitor, rather than the alternative of risking racking up debt and not getting taken on by a law firm at the end of it.

April McDaidExecutive Office Project Support Role, HMRC Liverpool

April became an apprentice after completing her A levels as she realised university wasn’t the route she wanted. She applied for a Civil Service Fast Track Apprenticeship Scheme which she passed and started her role in September 2014 for 2 years with a permanent job at the end of it.

Luis GriffithsIT Apprentice, Merseyside Police

After leaving college, Luis searched for an apprenticeship to gain experience in the workplace. He now works as an IT apprentice for Merseyside Police. He started in June 2015 in a traineeship and has progressed from a level 2 IT user specialist onto a level 3 with Networks and Systems.

PROGRAMME

Welcome to the Skills Investment Summit which the Liverpool City Region LEP is delighted to host with the support of the Skills Funding Agency.

SPEAKER PROFILES

9.00

9.10

9.50

10.50

11.30

Welcome Asif Hamid (LEP and The Contact Company)

THE LANDSCAPE

Introduction: The Skills Challenges Faced by Business and Investing in GrowthMike Houghton (Siemens)

The Changing National Skills Funding LandscapeCat Settle (Skills Funding Agency)

Q & A

THE BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE

Panel Discussion Chaired by Bernard Molloy, Global Logistics Director (Unipart)

Invest for Success: Best Practice Case Studies Building an Apprenticeship AcademyDanny Hart (Cammell Laird)

Trailblazing and the Supply Chain in ConstructionNeil Parkinson (Curtins Consulting)

Skills in LogisticsAndy Simpson (Warrant Group)

Skills Development in Professional Services Sarah Hardy-Pickering (Weightmans)

The SME PerspectiveFrank Crouwel (NW Systems)

8.00 Arrival, Tea/Coffee/Pastries/Breakfast Rolls (Provider Marketplace & Networking)

10.30 Break, Tea/Coffee (Provider Marketplace & Networking)

12.30 - 1.00pm Further Networking and Marketplace

PROVIDERS AND APPRENTICES PERSPECTIVES

Apprenticeship Hub Video

The Apprentice PerspectiveNatassia Sinclair (Weightmans)April McDaid (HMRC Liverpool)Luis Griffiths (Merseyside Police)What a good employer looks like

The Provider PerspectivePaula Rowland (Hugh Baird College) Elaine Bowker (The City of Liverpool College)The Changing Relationship with employers and how to shape the curriculum

DEBATE AND DISCUSSION

The Audience PerspectiveTable discussion on issues, barriers, opportunities and change

THE FUTURE FOR SKILLS: NEW PARTNERSHIPS

Challenges, Barriers; Opportunities; Solutions Audience Feedback

Devolution and Skills: A New OpportunityPanel Discussionchaired by Mark Basnett (LEP)

Kate Willard (LEP and Stobart Group)Sue Jarvis (LCR Employment & Skills Team)Siobhan Saunders (LCR Apprenticeship Hub)

Next StepsAsif Hamid (LEP and The Contact Company)

12.00

Asif Hamid Chief Executive Officer, The Contact Company

Deputy Chair of the LEP and winner of the Regional Business Awards 2014 Business Person of the Year, Asif has been at the cutting edge of the call centre industry for the past 20 years.

His roles have ranged from Sales and Marketing Director; Operations Manager and Head of UK Operations for some of the world’s leading outsourcing businesses.

Asif is one of the best known leading entrepreneurs in his field. He was instrumental in establishing the Government’s £32 million Skills for Growth Bank.

Mark Basnett Executive Director, Liverpool City Region LEP

Mark is responsible for delivering growth in investment, enterprise and the economy’s key growth sectors.

Mark has an extensive track record in business led regeneration and in the last 10 years he has developed and delivered programmes of support that have assisted over 200 investment projects across the Liverpool City Region, helping create and safeguard over 10,000 jobs.

Mike Houghton Managing Director,Siemens Process Industries and Drives UK & IRL

Mike is responsible for four business units within the Process Industries and Drives division. The focus areas within these units are growth, culture, strategy, productivity, stakeholder management, performance management, reporting and governance for the division, which comprises of around 300 employees.

Mike is also a member of the Siemens Country Leadership Team, a supporter of the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Board Member of Liverpool SuperPort, a member of the IET Skills Policy Panel and Program Lead for IFB2016 (International Festival for Business) for Siemens.

Cat SettleHead of Employer and Delivery Services, Skills Funding Agency

Cat Settle has been with the Skills Funding Agency for nearly 10 years.

She currently leads a team of managers and advisers and is accountable for skills localism and apprenticeship growth. She holds observer status in Employment and Skills Boards in Liverpool, Cumbria and Lancashire.

She is currently overseeing national research into Apprenticeship Hub activities.

Bernard MolloyGlobal Industrial Logistics Director, Unipart Logistics

Bernard has over 40 years experience managing and strategically advising companies in the warehousing, logistics and materials handling industries. He is Chairman of the Liverpool SuperPort Board and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and Strategic Advisor to Leading Blue Chip Companies in Supply Chain and Logistics.

He is known internationally in the Supply Chain Business and has been responsible for numerous developments of National Distribution Centres and resolving Supply Chain issues.