East and West Midlands Mayors join forces to bolster skills, manufacturing and growth

(Pictured – Mayor Claire Ward with Rhianna Lees)

Earlier this week, the Midlands Skills and Employability Parliamentary Reception took place in the House of Commons.

Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, and Mayor of the West Midlands, Richard Parker, brought together parliamentarians and stakeholders and shared their joint ambition for the East and West Midlands to be a powerhouse for economic growth – and emphasised the vital importance of manufacturing and apprenticeships.

In her keynote speech, Mayor Claire talked about the East Midlands’ rich manufacturing heritage and the huge potential we have to stimulate green manufacturing and inclusive growth in our region.

Mayor Claire also emphasised the importance of apprenticeships and the skills pipeline for manufacturing, to ensure the region is ready to embrace and fill the jobs of the future.

Rhianna Lees, Rolls-Royce Submarines fourth year manufacturing degree apprentice, who grew up in the West Midlands and is now based in Derby in the East Midlands, delivered an inspiring keynote to delegates, sharing her passion for engineering, and an insight into her apprenticeship working on digital manufacturing in the Rolls-Royce Submarines business.

Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, said:

“Monday’s event in Parliament was a great chance to spotlight what we’re aiming for in both the East and West Midlands—two regions leading in advanced manufacturing and skills development. We want to create more high-skilled jobs and open up the best training and apprenticeship opportunities, so young people can really shape their own futures right here. The star of the night was Rhianna Lees, who is exactly the kind of talent we’re proud to support and see grow in our region.”

Rhianna Lees, fourth year manufacturing apprentice at Rolls-Royce said:

“What an amazing evening! I was honoured to be invited to speak in Parliament about my apprenticeship in Rolls-Royce Submarines. I’ve always had a passion for engineering and growing up in the Midlands gave me the opportunity to get into manufacturing from a young age. Manufacturing engineering has opened up so many amazing opportunities for me, and I highly recommend it as a career!”

The reception was kindly hosted by Baroness Hayter. Other speakers included Alistair Carns MP and representatives from the Manufacturing Technology Centre and Lloyds Bank. The room was packed full of Midlands MPs and key regional stakeholders, who all emphasised the importance of manufacturing in the East and West Midlands for national growth.