Employer Events

On 11 March South Tyneside Council hosted “Building a Stronger South Tyneside” bringing together businesses from across the borough. The event formed part of an Economic Summit, which examined complex barriers preventing many residents from accessing work. Barriers include long-term health conditions, disability, caring responsibilities and skills gaps.

Event Highlights

Speakers included:

• Leanne Hume, Ford Aerospace – sharing the success of their Apprenticeship Academy
• Megan Holland, HTG – discussing local job creation and community impact
• Paula Oliver, Job Coach, South Tyneside Council – removing barriers to employment.

Interactive sessions highlighted key data around economic inactivity—particularly among young people who are not in education, employment or training—while group discussions encouraged employers to share best practice, challenges and ideas for change.

What Businesses Said

“Thank you for hosting this important event! I would love to hear from more organisations in this way.”

“We are now considering Apprenticeships, reviewing our work experience programmes.”

“We would welcome the opportunity to discuss many of these areas further.”

“I wasn’t aware of the range of support available locally until this event.”

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Employer Events 2026

Based on feedback, a new programme of employer events will run throughout 2026 to focus on ‘Building a Stronger South Tyneside’. These events will help employers to:

• Share best practice and success stories;
• Connect to and learn from like-minded local organisations;
• Access the range of local support available to help you recruit and retain staff effectively.

The first event in this series was held at Hebburn Football Club on 5 June and focused on the Youth Guarantee which offers local employers financial incentives towards apprenticeships, fully funded work placements and the youth Jobs Grant, worth up to £3,000.

A guided tour of the University of Sunderland’s state-of-the-art digital, technology, and engineering facilities will be the next event in the series. The visit will also include a short presentation outlining available apprenticeship programmes and CPD opportunities, helping you understand how the University can support your workforce needs, with a light lunch and opportunity to network. Full details: Building a Stronger South Tyneside – University of Sunderland Tour – Invest South Tyneside

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Hear from local employers filmed at ‘Building a Stronger South Tyneside’ about their employment practices and the positive community impact this has.