By Beverly Rademacher
Copyright expressandstar
The first session, held during Wolverhampton Business Week in September, brought together employers, local authorities and education leaders for a breakfast roundtable on apprenticeships and skills policy.
The frank and solutions-focused discussion explored practical steps to widen participation, improve pathways into employment and address hard-to-fill roles and apprenticeship reform challenges. Key themes included inclusive access, engaging mid-sized businesses and embedding work-based learning across programmes.
With the aim of building on the momentum, the festive breakfast will shift the focus toward action and implementation. Training providers and employers will share real-world examples and practical solutions to the challenges raised in the first session. The event aims to foster collaboration and drive forward a coordinated regional response.
Dr Sean Starr, apprenticeships and lifelong learning lead, said: “At our last roundtable, we sparked an honest conversation about what’s working and where the gaps are. The festive breakfast is our opportunity to move from discussion to delivery, inviting training providers and employers to co-create solutions.”
Sadaf Alvi-Liaqat, executive education lead, added: “This is about building a network of changemakers—people who want to shape a skills system that genuinely meets employer demand and supports inclusive growth.”
The festive breakfast will take place on December 10, from 9.30am to 11.30am at Lord Swraj Paul Building, Wolverhampton Business School, Molineux Street, Wolverhampton.
