Digital Skills Symposium

Network with like-minded individuals.

Welcome from Vickie Pargetter-Garner, Director of Digital Skills & Commercial Impact and Chris Blackwell, Board Member – TechWM.

Outlining key national and regional skills initiatives and funding that are available to address tech and digital skills gaps.

Nikki Christie, Deputy Director Creative Digital Finance and Business, Skills England

Results from 4 independent employer surveys into the regional needs for digital skills to update on the key trends in this fast-changing space. Includes a showcase of some of the initiatives that have been put in place to address the challenges.

Emily Stubbs, Head of Policy, Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce

Hear from Lalita Taylor, We Job Box.

Curated table discussions to understand what tech skills your organisation is facing and what works / doesn’t work in the existing skills system. Feedback will be gathered from the tables and fed into lobbying efforts to bodies such as DfE, Skills England, CBI and WMCA.

Network with like-minded individuals whilst grabbing a tea or coffee!

Launching DSITs new TechFirst scheme to increase the number and diversity of people taking up roles in tech and how this will benefit your organisation.

Cian Galvin, Head, TechFirst and Cyber Skills Team, DSIT.

Hear from expert panel members on how a neurodiverse workforce could become your next tech superpower. Including practical advice on how to support neurodiversity in your organisation.

Chair: Andy Hague, CEO, TechWM
Louise Campton, Founder, Primary Goal
Dan Harris, Founder, NeuroDiversity in Business
Karen Newman, Founder & CEO, Birmingham Open Media
Anthony Gribben-Lisle, Founder and Director of Start Differently, and Chair of Governors at Coventry College

1 hour lunch break before we jump into an afternoon of exciting panels, keynotes and talks from industry leaders.

Will AI really replace jobs? A practical look at the changing face of the workplace with the introduction of AI and what that means for your business.

Karen Rodkin, Operations Director, Netcom Training

Futures Readiness; real-time resources for a real time revolution.

Mr Alex Zarifeh, Founder & Director, ATLP Futures Readiness (Arthur Terry Learning Partnership)

A series of 10min talks from employers and educators showcasing how AI is changing the skills needed in the workplace and how you can get your organisation prepared.

Chair: Chris Blackwell, Board Member – TechWM
Melanie King, Chief People Officer, InterCity
Richard Knott, Head of AI, SCC
Rachel Moore, Learning and Development Director, One advanced

Round-up from Vickie Pargetter-Garner, Director of Digital Skills.

Network with like-minded individuals whilst grabbing a tea or coffee!

Skills West Midlands & Warwickshire Excellence Awards for Digital Skills.

Suzie Branch-Haddow, Chair, Skills West Midlands & Warwickshire.

How to successfully compete against AI in the 2025 Job Market and Beyond.

Fiona Latter, Delivery Manager ‑ Employer Partnerships, WMCA.