Business leaders from across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire are being invited to join the area’s Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), guiding future economic growth within the region.
The Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire LEP (SSLEP) is on the lookout for new directors to join its company board - which defines the strategy, investment activity, and future economic growth of Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. Also, the SSLEP is seeking local leaders to join its new Skills Advisory Panel, which will promote skills development across the area (via businesses and higher education establishments).
Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire's LEP is a business-led LBG (limited by guarantee) company, which brings together business, higher education institutions and public sector partners to create the conditions to grow new and better jobs, a higher skilled workforce and increase business productivity across both city and county.
Four new board directors are being sought for the SSLEP, who will represent Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire’s diverse business community. In addition, six new members of the Skills Advisory Panel are being recruited - who will help to shape the LEP’s Skills Development Programme, to ensure the local workforce can take advantage of better paid employment opportunities.
(Pictured - from left to right: Cllr. Abi Brown, Cllr. Philip Atkins OBE, David Frost CBE, Kelly Tolhurst MP, and Alun Rogers)
Chairman of the Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire LEP, David Frost said:
“This is an exciting time for our LEP, as we finalise our Local Industrial Strategy, and the right time to recruit business leaders from our area who will help to steer our long-term growth programme. We are seeking business leaders with a strong track record in our key business sectors, who share our passion and ambition for growth in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. We want our board to be reflective of our business community, and are actively seeking more women business leaders to join us."
“The LEP also needs well networked business leaders to join our Skills Advisory Panel. Skills development is critical to our area’s economic growth and a skilled workforce will help to attract future investment and employers in our key sectors."
"Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire have some highly experienced business leaders and we would urge them to get on board and strengthen our position as a leading position in the UK to invest and to business.”
Cllr. Abi Brown, LEP Board Member and Leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council said:
“Being a board member brings many benefits. For me, it means we can represent the voice of Stoke-on-Trent’s business at the heart of the local enterprise partnership while working hard to ensure the right investment and the right economic growth for the city. One example of this is in the Ceramic Valley Enterprise Zone which is now recognised as one of the most successful zones in the country with the creation of over 2,000 jobs in the city."
“This is a great opportunity for individuals at both a personal and professional level. You get an enormous sense of satisfaction when major infrastructure projects, which are key to our economy, are delivered and you can see that you’ve made a real difference and have contributed to the continuing growing confidence in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. It would also be great to see more women in business apply so that we can make sure we’re truly reflecting the business community that we represent.”
Vice Chancellor & Chief Executive of Staffordshire University, Liz Barnes (also a LEP board member) said:
“New board members will have the opportunity to contribute to the shaping and delivery of the industrial strategy for Staffordshire, and secure our future prosperity providing a great place to live, work and study.”
If you are interested in joining the Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire LEP Click Here for more information.
Edited by Josh Heath