Siemens Mobility has hosted a roundtable in Derby bringing together East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward, industry representatives and local businesses to discuss skills, apprenticeships and transport innovation across the region.
Held at the company’s Derby office, the session focused on improving access to careers for young people and strengthening collaboration between industry and government to support long-term skills development.
Around 20 local businesses took part alongside Rt Hon Alistair Burt, Vice President of the Enterprise Forum. Discussions centred on raising awareness of apprenticeships, improving transport connectivity to widen access to jobs, and ensuring the region can meet future workforce demands.
Mayor Claire Ward said the session highlighted the importance of partnership working.
“By investing in skills and improving connectivity, we can ensure more young people across our region access high-quality opportunities and support future growth,” she said.
Matt Kent, Director of Operations and Manufacturing for Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility UK and Ireland, said developing new talent remains a priority for the business.
“Our commitment to entry-level talent is fundamental to the future of rail,” he said. “Derby has a long history of rail innovation, and we want to ensure it continues to be a centre of excellence.”
Apprentices based at the Derby site also took part in the discussion, sharing their experiences of entering the industry and working in areas such as digital signalling and control systems.
Siemens’ Derby office employs around 150 people and plays a key role in developing advanced rail technologies, including Digital Conflict Resolution systems designed to monitor and manage rail traffic in real time.
