8 July 2025
On 3 July 2025, representatives from the West of England Institute of Technology (WEIoT) joined other Institutes of Technology, industry leaders, and education specialists at the National IoT Conference, held at Central Hall Westminster in London.
With a rich history of hosting figures such as Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi and the Prince of Wales, Central Hall offered a fitting venue for a day focused on skills, progress, and collaboration.
The conference, titled “Boosting Opportunity, Skills & Growth”, brought together senior voices from business, government, and education to discuss how stronger partnerships are helping shape the future of skills. Talks centred on how joint working across sectors is creating new responses to national skills shortages and driving opportunity and economic growth at a regional level.
The WEIoT team attended key sessions throughout the day, exploring how demand-led training and collaboration with employers can support the growth of vital sectors like Advanced Engineering, Digital, Health and Life Sciences, and Construction across the West of England. It was also a chance to reflect on our work delivering Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) and how this links directly to industry need and government priorities.
Speakers included Phil Smith, Chair of Skills England; Rosa Wells, Chair of the IoT Network; and leaders from the Department for Business and Trade, Heathrow, Siemens, IBM, and Innovate UK. Each highlighted the need for employer-driven education and the power of localised approaches to skills development.
The day was a valuable opportunity to share ideas, build connections, and reflect on how WEIoT is playing a key role in the region’s economic future by delivering high-quality technical education that meets the needs of both learners and employers.
We’re excited to take the ideas from the conference forward and continue building partnerships that help shape a skilled workforce for the West of England.
👉 Learn more about how we’re supporting future careers through technical education: https://www.weiot.ac.uk/courses/
