North East LEP joins forces with European leaders in new knowledge exchange

A new knowledge exchange programme is set to boost the North East’s capability to find solutions to global skills challenges.

The North East LEP has set up a virtual meeting with a delegation of business leaders in Germany to share ideas for tackling global skills issues.

Representatives from the Ingolstadt region will meet with members of the North East LEP, CBI, Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Education, Nexus and New College Durham as part of the knowledge exchange initiative.

Lucy Winskell, chair of the North East LEP, explained: “No single organisation has the answer to the big challenges faced by businesses and society right now. Pooling talent, thinking, experiences and resources is the right way to find solutions to shared issues.

“We’re thrilled to be building what will hopefully be a valuable long-term relationship with Ingolstadt, which like us is home to a thriving automotive industry and has many other commonalities.”

Jill Gallard CMG, British ambassador in Berlin, added: “Reducing carbon dioxide emissions at home and abroad in our COP26 presidency year is one of the government’s top priorities, as is the levelling up agenda.

“I am really pleased to see the North East sharing its experience of creating new jobs manufacturing electric vehicles with Ingolstadt and both sides learning from each other’s best practice on skills and training policies.”