The East Midlands Chamber’s People and Skills Conference 2025, held at Loughborough University, brought together businesses and educators to address key workforce challenges, including filling job vacancies, staff retention, and advancing Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). Hosted in partnership with Loughborough University and West Nottinghamshire College, the event featured discussions aimed at shaping the region’s skills reform.
As part of the conference, Richard Blackmore, Director of Policy and Insight at the East Midlands Chamber, highlighted that over 60% of businesses in the region struggle to find candidates who meet their specific requirements. Filling vacancies remains a critical factor for economic growth, and a collaborative approach between employers and educational institutions is essential to bridging this gap.
Keynote speaker Prof. Eva Selenko of Loughborough University spoke on the importance of aligning education with business needs to tackle youth unemployment. The discussion addressed the complex challenges young people face, including mental health barriers and difficulties navigating career pathways.
Panel discussions also focused on recruitment and retention, with experts emphasising the need for businesses to recognise transferable skills and promote themselves as employers of choice. Chris Grocock of Futures and Eileen Perry of ER Recruitment emphasised the importance of collaborating with educational institutions to drive meaningful policy change and enhance workforce engagement.
The event showcased the necessity of collaboration across industries to support long-term skills development, with a call to strengthen partnerships between businesses and training providers.
