Downtown in Business members are concerned that with the growing skills gap and demographic changes, they may not have the pipeline of talent they need to grow and succeed.
To find out more about this challenge, Downtown in Business spoke to BRILLIANT Festival Director, Martyn Collins about some actions industry, educators and business leaders can take now.
“Employers frequently report that young people are leaving school, college or university without the practical skills, confidence, workplace awareness or adaptability they need”
says Martyn.
“At the same time, sectors including engineering, construction, healthcare, advanced manufacturing and the creative industries are struggling to recruit people with the right capabilities.
“If businesses want learners to be better prepared for employment, they must play a more active role in helping educators understand what the future workplace requires”.
That means creating stronger, practical relationships between employers and educators and BRILLIANT Festival has been created to make those relationships possible.
Taking place at Exhibition Centre Liverpool on 10 November 2026, BRILLIANT brings together leaders in education, technology and industry from across the nation around one central question: Are we preparing young people for the new world of work?
Downtown members can take advantage of the free to attend event and connect with more than 2,000 national educators and leaders from over 600 schools, colleges, universities and multi-academy trusts. Attendees include headteachers, classroom practitioners, careers officers, STEAM leaders, senior decision-makers and university representatives.
“BRILLIANT gives businesses access to education decision-makers while giving educators the chance to understand the needs and opportunities within different industries”
explains Martyn.
Industry partners involved with BRILLIANT include major organisations such as Amazon, Accenture, Unilever, Barclays, Kyndryl, Chester Zoo, Canal & River Trust and Morgan Sindall Construction. Their involvement reflects a growing recognition that workforce development must begin long before recruitment.
“Those businesses recognise that industry cannot solve the skills gap from the sidelines.
“Businesses hold the knowledge that educators need. They understand the new roles which are emerging, the skills that are becoming more valuable and the behaviours that help people succeed in the workplace. They can also provide practical context that helps educators connect classroom learning with real careers and real economic opportunities.
“The most effective engagement is not about promoting a company to students, it is about helping educators understand the realities of a sector and working together to prepare young people for it”
advises Martyn.
A platform for genuine collaboration, BRILLIANT is not designed as a traditional conference where businesses speak to passive audiences. It is a high-energy, practical environment built around conversation, shared challenges and meaningful opportunities to collaborate.
“Businesses concerned about future talent cannot wait until young people submit a job application. They need to engage earlier, help educators connect learning with the workplace and provide a clearer view of the skills and careers which are emerging,”
Martyn counsels.
“The skills gap will not be closed by businesses and education working in separate rooms. For organisations which are serious about developing their future workforce, the question is no longer whether they should engage with education – It is how quickly they can begin”.
