Mayor Paul Bristow Champions Skills Investment at Regional Summit

Mayor Paul Bristow Champions Skills Investment at Regional Summit

Employers, educators, and training providers from across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough came together at ARU Peterborough last Friday (26 September) for the Skills Summit – a landmark event focused on how businesses are shaping the future workforce through meaningful investment in skills.

The Summit was opened by Charlotte Horobin, Chief Executive of Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce, and Professor Ross Renton, Principal of ARU Peterborough, before Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Paul Bristow, delivered a keynote address setting out his vision for a skills-driven future.

Paul Bristow said: “I want to invest in our young people, I want to invest in jobs, and I want to ensure people have the skills to move forward to make us all healthier, wealthier and happier. Growth is good – and that’s why I’m investing in skills.”

Throughout the day, delegates heard from major employers, including representatives from Coperion, Paragraf, Anglian Water, East West Rail, Sizewell C, and Cambridge University Health Partners. Discussions focused on the role of apprenticeships, internships, and innovative training pathways in building strong talent pipelines, as well as how infrastructure projects can leave a lasting skills legacy for the region.

Andrea Wood MBE, Assistant Director for Skills and Employment at the Combined Authority, said: “Skills have to be at the heart of growth and greater productivity. Today’s event brought together employers, education, and training providers to focus on those priorities, and it’s been fantastic to see the commitment to working together. We look forward to continuing the conversation at future events.”

The Skills Summit was delivered in partnership between Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce and the Combined Authority, with support from ARU Peterborough.

Charlotte Horobin, Chief Executive of Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce, said: “One of the Chamber’s greatest strengths is convening people, and the Skills Summit showed the power of collaboration in action. By uniting employers, educators and policymakers we can turn our skills challenges into opportunities, support business growth, and make sure people across our region have the skills they need to succeed.”

The Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority plays a leading role in driving the region’s skills agenda – helping people gain the right skills for good jobs, and supporting employers to access the talent they need to grow. Through targeted investment in projects, skills programmes and brokerage, the Authority works with businesses, colleges, universities and training providers to build strong pathways into employment and ensure the region’s workforce is equipped for the future.