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Keynote speaker from HS2 announced at Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Employability and Skills Conference

HS2’s Skills and Employment Strategy Manager is headlining the speaker line up at the Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Employability and Skills Conference, which is returning for the second year running next month.

Rebecca Young from HS2 Ltd, the company responsible for developing and promoting Europe’s biggest infrastructure project will be speaking at the free special breakfast event that is being held on 12 October at Ringwood Hall in Brimington from 8.30am – 10.30am.

At the conference Ms Young will address the employment prospects the UK’s new high speed rail line will bring to the area, following confirmation earlier this year that the HS2 route will include a stop in Chesterfield and a maintenance depot in Staveley.

HS2 is forecast to create up to 25,000 jobs and 2,000 apprenticeships during the construction phase and over 3,000 permanent jobs will be created by the operation and maintenance of the HS2 railway and its rolling stock. In addition, the major contracts to build and develop HS2 will result in tens of thousands of opportunities for businesses across the supply chain, 60% of which are expected to be awarded to small, medium and micro-sized enterprises.

The conference will provide an opportunity for schools and businesses to prepare the future workforce for the growth of North Derbyshire’s economy driven by both HS2 and other key developments including Chesterfield Waterside and Peak Resort.

Organised by Placing Futures Ltd, D2N2 Enterprise Advisor Network, Chesterfield Borough Council, D2 Skills and Employment Board and Destination Chesterfield, the annual conference aims to strengthen links between education providers and local businesses.

Senior representatives from North Derbyshire schools, training and education providers and employers are invited to attend the conference, which will also hear from The Careers & Enterprise Company, William Davis Ltd, Derbyshire Education Business Partnership and Chesterfield Apprentice Ambassadors.

Gail Widerman, Director of Placing Futures Ltd an independent consultancy service based in Chesterfield which links vocational learning to schools and employers, said: “I am delighted that we have secured HS2’s Skills and Employment Strategy Manager as the keynote speak at the conference. Although Chesterfield’s HS2 station is 17 years away construction work will begin sooner so it is essential that we start preparing now for the skills and training that will be required in order to secure jobs amongst the local workforce.”

Councillor Tricia Gilby, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, explained why the conference is so important to North Derbyshire. She said: “Chesterfield is on the cusp of a boom. In the short term alone more than £1bn of developments will come to fruition over the next five years not only creating jobs but also bringing people to live in and visit the town.

“This conference plays an important role in ensuring we capitalise on the growth forecast for the area. It is essential that we work together to close the perceived and real skills gap by ensuring that young people are equipped with the employability skills while at school and college that are needed now and in the future by employers in the town.”

Places are limited at the Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Employability and Skills Conference. To book your free place please register at www.chesterfield.co.uk/events/chesterfield-north-derbyshire-employability-skills-conference/

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Natalie Randall .