Driving STEM skills and employer engagement across the South: Enginuity’s recent highlights

Written by Maia Rowe-Sampson (Sector Engagement Lead)

The past few months have felt like a story of two halves, beginning with a moment of celebration and reflection, and evolving into a period of momentum, connection and action across the South of England.

We started March at Enginuity 365 Live in Birmingham, marking International Women's Day in a truly memorable way. Bringing together the inspiring individuals behind our 365 Faces of STEM campaign, many meeting in person for the first time. It created a real sense of community and shared purpose.

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From the powerful poem to honest conversations about lived experiences, the event was both uplifting. A key highlight was the launch of our 365 Faces of STEM pledge, ensuring that the energy and commitment from the day continues long beyond it. It was a brilliant way to celebrate International Women’s Day and reinforce the importance of representation across engineering and manufacturing.

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Since then, I’ve been out and about across the South, engaging with employers, educators and young people. Each visit has offered a fresh insight into how we collectively tackle the skills challenge.

At the Bristol STEM Fair, I worked with local organisations to support and inspire Level 3 students considering their next steps. Their enthusiasm was infectious, and it’s always encouraging to see how direct engagement with industry can open eyes to the breadth of opportunities available.

In Portsmouth, during Portsmouth and South Coast Business Week, I met with organisations spanning maritime, defence and advanced manufacturing. The area is a clear hub of engineering excellence, and conversations highlighted both the strength of the local ecosystem and the importance of making those opportunities more visible and accessible to emerging talent.

A visit to Skills26 in Kent brought educators and employers together for meaningful conversations around collaboration. There was a strong sense of shared responsibility and a willingness to improve how we work together, moving towards more impactful, long-term partnerships.

At the Essex Build Expo, it was particularly valuable to learn from the construction sector. The progress being made in outreach and employer engagement offers useful lessons for engineering and manufacturing as we continue to evolve our own approaches.

Alongside these events, I’ve also been working closely with manufacturing groups to share Enginuity’s new Your Mentoring Matters training programme. 

There’s also real anticipation building for the results of our latest SME Snapshot Survey, which will provide further insight into the challenges and priorities facing employers across the sector.

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What stands out most from these past few months is the collective commitment to change. While the skills gap remains a significant challenge, there is clear momentum, with organisations across the country stepping up, collaborating and innovating.

I’m looking forward to building on these connections in the months ahead and continuing to turn engagement into meaningful action.