The best thing about Liverpool is the passion the people who live here have for the city. That’s why I knew launching yesterday’s inaugural #LeadLiverpool26 Conference was a great idea.
Led by the Careers & Employability, University of Liverpool team, this was a bit different from our usual work. At its core, what we do is support students and graduates to build the right skills and connect with the right opportunities during and immediately after their studies.
This event focused on something slightly different. Working in partnership with Professional Liverpool, yesterday was about supporting graduates and early career professionals working in our region who have already secured their first professional roles to navigate those early years of their careers.
We know from employers that, while early talent is often academically excellent, the transition from graduate to professional can be a challenge. That matters. Not just for individuals, but for businesses across our region. If we want local organisations to keep investing in our talent and creating opportunities, we need to help make that transition smoother. Especially in a city like Liverpool, where so many people who study here want to stay and build their careers.
We had 100+ people in the room talking about why building a career here is such a great opportunity, particularly at a time when the region is evolving, with exciting growth sectors and real momentum behind it. Senior civic and HE leaders were there, recognising that the future success of our regional economy depends on investing in early talent and working together to support them.
We were also supported by employers who are deeply invested in retaining talent in the city. And importantly, they supported their employees to attend, giving them the chance to start building their own networks with peers at a similar stage, just as many of us have done throughout our own careers.
We brought together a group of incredible speakers who delivered so much energy and insight so that delegates had something to learn from, reflect on and be inspired by. What I hoped for most when designing this with my team was that attendees would have an amazing experience at what was probably their first professional conference, leave feeling inspired, build confidence and enhance the skills their organisations need, so they can go on to 'Lead Liverpool' in the future.
Judging by the energy in the room, and the fact that it was still full at the end of the day, I think we achieved exactly that. It was everything I hoped it would be, and more 🌟
Iwan Williams Tim Jones Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Paul Corcoran Isobelle Panton Ben Arguile Catherine Rawcliffe Graham Bond Thomas Prince @adambrighouse Bay Downing Phil Adams Keri Stanistreet Leon McCowan Carmel Dickinson Vicki O'Kelly Paul Amann Gareth Jones Joanne Poole Gregory Hunter Benjamin Dalton Kalbir Cross Richard Finch Tom Smith Hannah Clarke Calvin Eden