Join us for Shaping Tomorrow’s Workforce, a county-wide conference bringing together employers, schools, colleges, training providers and partners to strengthen how Cumbria supports young people to prepare for their futures.
Taking place at Keswick Pencil Factory on 14 October 2026, the event is designed for employers looking to build their future talent pipeline, education leaders shaping careers provision, and partners committed to helping young people succeed.
Through keynote speakers, interactive workshops and networking, delegates will explore how stronger partnerships can create more meaningful and inclusive opportunities for young people. Key themes include reforming work experience, supporting disadvantaged young people, improving employer engagement, using data to evidence impact, and understanding what the future generation needs from the world of work
The day will close with “Let’s Make it Work”, a collaborative session focused on building a shared commitment between schools and employers to deliver better outcomes for young people and Cumbria’s future workforce.
Be part of shaping tomorrow’s workforce and help create a more joined-up, ambitious and inclusive future for young people in Cumbria.
Supported by:
Reserve your free place today!
Use the QR Code here, or follow this link to reserve your free place at the Conference.
Conference Agenda 🗓
| Time | Agenda | Speaker(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 09.00 | Arrival and refreshments | |
| 09.30 | Welcome | Cath Dutton, Cumbria Careers Hub |
| 09.40 | Beyond Aspiration: Broadening What Feels Possible for Boys and Young Men in Cumbria | Daniel Dutton, University of Cumbria |
| 9.55 | Let's Make it Work - From National Ambition to Opportunity for Every Young Person | Nicola Hall, Director for Education, Careers and Enterprise Company |
| 10.15 | Next Steps | Cath Dutton, Cumbria Careers Hub |
| 10.20 | Choice of 4 Prebooked Workshops | Please see details below and at Trybooking.co.uk |
| 11.15 | Refreshment Break and Networking | |
| 11.45 | Choice of 5 Prebooked Workshops | Please see details below and at Trybooking.co.uk |
| 12.45 | Lunch & Networking | |
| 13.30 | Future Generation Voice | |
| 14.05 | Choice of 4 Prebooked Workshops | Please see details below and at Trybooking.co.uk |
| 14.50 | Comfort Break | |
| 15.00 | Shaping Tomorrow’s Workforce: Working Together | Working together for our Young People |
| 15.40 | Plenary | Action Setting |
| 15.45 | Close |
Our Speakers & Workshops
Our speakers and workshop facilitators have been carefully selected to ensure that your time away from your business, school, college or organisation is valuable, practical and worthwhile.
The workshop programme has been shaped by feedback from Careers Leaders, employers and partners, and is designed to respond to the priorities, challenges and opportunities facing careers education and workforce development across Cumbria.
Each session will offer practical insight, shared learning and opportunities for discussion, helping delegates leave with ideas, connections and actions they can take forward to support young people and strengthen Cumbria’s future talent pipeline.
Click on the links below if you’d like to learn more. 👇
Making Work Experience Work For Employers
For: Employers and Partners
Explore new ways to offer young people meaningful workplace experiences that also work for your business. This practical session will help you rethink work experience, engage future talent, and design flexible opportunities that meet business needs. You will leave with ideas you can use straight away.
Clarity and Confidence in a Changing Careers Landscape
For: Schools, Colleges and ITPs
With so many changes affecting careers provision, this session will give career leaders practical support and reassurance. You'll leave with useful strategies to manage change, stay positive under pressure, and feel more confident about what's ahead.
Recruiting the Future Generation
For: Employers and Partners
Understand what the next generation is looking for from work and how your employer brand affects recruitment. This workshop will explore digital marketing, messaging and practical, cost-effective ways to showcase your business. You will leave with ideas to attract, engage and recruit future talent more effectively.
Cumbrian Boys Impact Hub: Shaping the Future Together
For: Schools, Colleges, ITPs and Employers
Be part of the launch of the Cumbrian Boys Impact Hub, a new collaborative movement bringing together education, careers, employers and community partners to improve outcomes for boys across Cumbria.
Using Data and Evaluation to strengthen Careers Programmes
For: Schools, Colleges and ITPs
Build confidence in using key data sources to understand and improve careers provision. This practical session will explore tools such as FSQ, On-Track+, Compass+, ILR, destination data and local data. You will leave with clearer ideas on how to evidence impact and use data to inform decisions.
Measuring Impact of your work with Schools and Colleges
For: Employers
To equip employers of all sizes with a simple, practical approach to measuring and improving the impact of their engagement with schools and colleges, using the CEC Employer Standards and (where relevant) social value principles.
See it to be it
For: Schools, Colleges and ITPS
Explore how schools, employers and partners can work together to increase access to creative career pathways. This session will highlight the value of collaboration, share practical approaches and help delegates consider how to open up opportunities so more young people can see, understand and progress into creative careers.
Whole College Approach to Careers
For: Colleges and ITPs
This workshop will support FE careers professionals to maximise impact through focused, high-quality approaches to data, engagement, and delivery. This will be a fast-paced, practical session exploring five high-impact areas of FE careers work. Delegates will leave with simple, realistic actions they can implement immediately.
Parent Power: Unlocking the Influence of Parents and Carers
For: Schools
Parents and carers are among the most influential voices in a young person's education and career journey, yet many schools face challenges in engaging them effectively. This practical and thought-provoking session will explore how meaningful parent and carer engagement can strengthen career conversations, broaden aspirations and support informed decision-making.
Work Experience in KS3: Turning Statutory Guidance into Practice
For: Schools
New statutory guidance encourages schools to provide meaningful workplace experiences throughout Key Stage 3. This practical workshop will share examples from pilot schools, highlight effective approaches, and provide tools to support implementation. Leave with the confidence, ideas and resources to develop your school's work experience programme.
Breaking the Mould - From project to partnership
For: Employers, Schools & Partners
Discover the story behind Breaking the Mould (an evidence-informed initiative that challenged the barriers shaping boys' educational progression and career choices across Cumbria) and explore how its learning has laid the foundations for the Cumbrian Boys Impact Hub.
Future of Work - AI, Robotics and Technology
For: Education & Partners
Explore the rapidly evolving world of AI, robotics and digital technologies, and what it means for careers education. Through employer insights, local labour market intelligence and live examples from industry, discover the technical and employability skills future employers need. Learn how schools and colleges can help young people develop these capabilities through curriculum, enrichment activities, hobbies and real-world employer engagement.
Helpful Information ahead of the conference 👇
Modern Work Experience
The Government’s ambition to give every young person 10 days of meaningful workplace experience during secondary school, helping them find their spark while giving employers access to future talent. Whether it’s a two-hour tour, a one-day project or a three-day placement, each experience can inspire a young person to think: “I belong here. I could do this. I might be brilliant at this.”
Employer Standards
The Employer Standards provide a clear framework to businesses of all shapes and sizes to maximise the impact of employer engagement with young people, ensuring mutual value and long-term business success.
Photographs from the Educate to Employ - Shaping Cumbria's Future Event
Feel free to have a browse through the photos, there are plenty to see. You are welcome to download any you might like to use. Please credit Enterprising Cumbria if you do use any photos in your own publicity. A big thank you to Paul Mitchell from Route North for taking these wonderful images.
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