Growing talent, growing business – the power of young people in the workplace

Join us for a morning designed to spark meaningful conversations and build stronger connections between education and industry. Together, we’ll explore how developing young talent can strengthen local businesses, drive innovation and create a future-ready workforce.

Guest speaker – Jamie Croggon

Jamie is an experienced engineering and innovation leader who has worked with global brands including Dyson, Gillette and SharkNinja. With a background in Engineering Product Design and Philosophy, he combines strong technical expertise with a people-focused approach to product development. Jamie has led R&D and concept engineering teams across multiple product lines and has been a strong advocate for bringing young talent into organisations, including creating apprenticeship pathways at SharkNinja.

Over breakfast, Jamie will explore how investing in young people can drive innovation, fresh thinking and long-term growth. He will share how bringing young people into the workplace has positively shaped culture, creativity and performance in the businesses he has worked with, and offer a candid, practical perspective on why giving young people real responsibility isn’t just “doing the right thing” – it’s a smart strategy for employers who want to stay competitive and future-ready.

By joining us, your business will have the opportunity to:

• Shape a curriculum that meets your skills needs.
• Co-design bespoke training for your workforce.
• Make the most of T Level industry placements.
• Discover the latest on apprenticeships.

You’ll also have the opportunity to join other employers, college leaders and curriculum specialists to discuss how education and industry can work in partnership to support business growth and staff development.