Midlands Puts Future of Youth Skills at The Forefront of Birmingham Education Event
Educators and leaders from science, technology, business, and education came together in Birmingham to examine how the Midlands can better prepare young people for an uncertain future, building the adaptable youth skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world. ‘A Focus on Future Skills’ is one of five events hosted by the Teaching Awards Trust and Nord Anglia Education across the country.
Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon, MBE, opened the night with a keynote reflecting on the world young people must navigate and the shared responsibility to nurture young people’s ambitions. Having passed A-level computing at just age 11, her own journey illustrates just how early encouragement and skill development can unlock extraordinary potential.
Chaired by Ndidi Okezie OBE, panellists explored how education can shift its focus toward skills that transcend specific jobs or sectors, for example, critical thinking, digital fluency, and the capacity to learn continuously. The discussion brought together Juliet Silverton, CEO of the Birmingham Education Partnership, Dr Sudheer Parwana, Technology Transformation Partner at PwC, Dr Sarah Watson, Principle at Oxford International College and Lauren Mistry.
The conversation tackled challenging areas such as how AI is transforming industries and redefining work, and whether the current education system rewards the skills that will truly matter in the coming decades and more.
Mary Palmer, Chief Executive of the Teaching Awards Trust, says: “Our Midlands future skills event demonstrated the urgency educators feel about preparing young people for a world of work that looks radically different from the one many of us entered. The conversations wrestled with real questions: how do we assess capabilities that don’t fit neatly into exams? How do we ensure every child develops the networks and confidence to pursue their ambitions? By connecting teachers with youth employment experts, business leaders, and parent organisations, our aim is to help create space for honest dialogue about the barriers and the possibilities.”
Andrew Fitzmaurice, Chief Executive Officer of Nord Anglia Education, says: “Today’s Education Insights event in Birmingham demonstrates a strong appetite for meaningful dialogue. As the challenges facing young people evolve faster than ever, a collaborative approach across education, business, and the wider community is essential. Exploring these issues through multiple perspectives brings real depth to the discussions, and we’re excited to see how these important conversations continue to develop across the country.”
With youth unemployment in the West Midlands running at double the national average, education must urgently rethink how it prepares young people for work. As the region’s largest city, Birmingham sits at the centre of this challenge. Lauren Mistry, Deputy CEO of Youth Employment UK, brought crucial regional context to the conversation, drawing on national and regional data. She said: “Birmingham’s young people face both extraordinary opportunities and significant barriers as they prepare for work. Employers increasingly value adaptability, communication, and problem-solving over narrow technical skills, so we need to ensure young people can access opportunities that unlock these capabilities. Tonight’s conversations highlighted that when educators, parents, employers, and youth organisations align around skills development, we create pathways that work for every young person, not just those with existing advantages.”
The event series is organised by independent charity, The Teaching Awards Trust, in partnership with Nord Anglia Education, the international schools organisation. The Teaching Awards Trust recognises the transformative power of educators through key education events, including the Pearson National Teaching Awards and National Thank a Teacher Day.
Interactive table sessions led by former Pearson National Teaching Awards winners used question prompts and case studies to explore how essential skills can be developed in the classroom. Teachers shared practical approaches they use to build competencies such as critical thinking and problem-solving, and discussed strategies for integrating skills development across different subjects.
The Education Insights events will continue throughout February.