Join us for The People Festival 2026 – a flagship event celebrating the people, skills and partnerships that power Dorset’s economy.
Thursday 12 February 2026 | 8:00am – 1:00pm | AFC Bournemouth
This inspiring event will bring together employers, educators, training providers, councils and business leaders to share ideas, spark connections and shape the future of Dorset’s workforce.
Whether you’re a large employer, an SME, a college, or a partner organisation, this event is your opportunity to engage with the next phase of Dorset’s Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) and to help make Dorset a place where people and businesses thrive.
What to Expect:
- Inspiring Speakers & Panels: Hear from business, education and policy leaders driving innovation across Dorset’s key sectors.
- Interactive Sessions: Share your views through live polls and app-based discussions to shape future LSIP priorities.
- Networking & Expo: Connect with employers, training providers and partners showcasing opportunities across the region.
- Collaboration Roundtable (by invitation): A focused afternoon session exploring deeper partnership working.
Agenda
8.00 Registration & Expo Opens
Expo & Networking: meet the providers who can support your business and teams. Delegate Coffee and pastries available
9.30 Festival Opens | Ian Girling, CEO Dorset Chamber
9.35 Dorset LSIP: Meeting Employers Skills Needs – Rosie Knapper | Project Lead | Dorset LSIP & Dorset Skills
9.50 Get Dorset and BCP Working – Rebecca Davies | GBW Lead | Dorset LSIP & Dorset Skills
10.00 Panel Discussions. Choose:
PANEL 1: The Productivity Advantage: Grow, Engage and Retain. Chaired by Dean Green, Babcock International.
PANEL 2: Employing and Developing Young People. Chaired by Jenny Williams, Dorset Skills at Dorset Chamber.
11.00 Coffee, Networking & Expo
11.30 The Power Hour
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Tom Parr | Author, Academic and Social Change Catalyst
- Melanie Collins | Head of South – Skills England Regions. Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
- Padmasini Dayananda | CEO | Transformative Coaching and Consulting Ltd
- Q&A chaired by Nicola Newman, Dorset Skills & Workforce Board.
12.40 Closing remarks (12.45 close)
9.30 | The Skills Landscape : The Dorset LSIP & Get Dorset & BCP Working
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Dorset LSIP: The Story So Far
Rosie Knapper | Project Lead | Dorset Skills & Dorset LSIP
Rosie Knapper is a passionate advocate for inclusive skills development and opportunity for all. Rosie works at the intersection of education, business, and community to ensure that local skills provision meets the evolving needs of employers and learners alike.
Rosie brings strategic and practical insights into how local collaboration can drive meaningful change in skills systems and create more inclusive pathways into employment.
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Get Dorset & BCP Working
Rebecca Davies | Skills Consultant | Dorset LSIP & Dorset Skills
Rebecca Davies is an experienced senior executive with a strong track record of delivering strategic operational plans within complex organisations and partnerships. Recent work includes delivery of the Get Dorset & BCP Working Plan and impact work for the Local Skills Improvement Plan.
A relationship-builder, Rebecca is committed to working in partnership, bringing people together for shared goals. A champion for Dorset and its people, she is passionate about inclusive support for its communities and businesses.
10.10 | Panel 1 The Productivity Advantage: Grow, Engage and Retain
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Dean Green (CHAIR)
Babcock
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Grace Benham
Future Force
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Nathan Cordy
LUSH
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Sarah Helsdown
Ultra Maritime
Read the Panel Bios
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Dean Green | Apprentice & Development Manager | Babcock International
I am an Apprentice & Development Manager, overseeing apprenticeship programs and employee development initiatives. I’m passionate about skills and workforce development, creating learning pathways that support disadvantaged groups and promote social mobility. My focus is on strategies that prepare for future workforce needs and help individuals reach their full potential.
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Nathan Cordy | Senior Manufacturing Engineer | LUSH
Nathan Cordy is a Senior Manufacturing Engineer at LUSH and an apprentice advocate who navigated the path from level 3 apprentice to Master’s. Passionate about workforce development, Nathan focuses on empowering the next generation, proving that apprenticeships are a premier route to technical excellence and senior leadership.
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Grace Benham | Co-Founder | Future Force
Grace Benham is Co-Founder and Director of Future Force, with Amy Miles. Future Force helps businesses recruit, retain and develop the best fit apprentices, helping take the hassle away from the business.
They also run skills bootcamps aimed at people early in their careers; these are ‘Basecamp: Getting Ready for the Workplace’ and ‘Trailblazer: Foundations of Leadership’.
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Sarah Helsdown, Principle Reliability Engineer, Ultra Maritime
Sarah Helsdown is a Principal Reliability Engineer at Ultra Maritime UK. Beyond her technical role, Sarah is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in engineering. She has founded the Women and Allies Network, the company’s first Employee Resource Group (ERG), and coordinates the Early Careers Scheme. Through these roles she has been able to mentor junior engineers and drive initiatives that foster innovation and collaboration within the organisation.
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Heather Martyn | Operations Director | Ammtek Ltd.
Heather Martyn is the Operations Director at Ammtek Ltd, an electronic design engineering consultancy based in Bournemouth. With a strong background in operations, project delivery and stakeholder management, Heather brings clarity, structure and commercial insight to every project and conversation. Heather is also an Ambassador for the Institute of Directors for the BCP area, where she actively supports and connects business leaders across the region.
10.10 | Panel 2: Employing and Developing Young People
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Jenny Williams (CHAIR)
Skills Consultant
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Rachel Trickey
The Royal Foundation
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Jim Chetwode
Okapi and Co.
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Rosie Radwell
Marsham Court Hotel
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Helen Stevenson
Dorset Careers Hub
Read the Panel Bios
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Jenny Williams | Skills Consultant | Dorset Skills & Dorset LSIP
Jenny is the newest member of the Dorset Skills team, with extensive experience across skills policy, lifelong learning and education leadership.
She began her career at the Dorset Training and Enterprise Council, leading education–business partnerships and developing the county’s first lifelong learning strategy. She later led the secretariat for the national Commission on Adult Vocational Teaching and Learning and was a founding director of the Education and Training Foundation. Most recently, Jenny served eight years as CEO of ASDAN, leading the organisation through significant renewal, including the Covid period.
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Helen Stevenson | Careers Hub Lead | Dorset Careers Hub
Helen jointly leads Dorset Careers Hub, connecting education and employers to strengthen careers provision across the pan-Dorset region. Her work focuses on engaging the business community to provide support for young people and those who guide and influence them. Helen’s ambition is to ensure every young person can take their best next step and fulfil their potential.
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Rosie Radwell | Managing Director | Marsham Court Hotel
Rosie Radwell, runs a busy hotel with the help of her two brothers and together they have focused heavily on improving accessibility and inclusivity for both guests and employees.
The Marsham Court Hotel is a Disability Confident Leader and has won industry awards for their recruitment efforts.
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Rachel Trickey | Local Delivery Lead | BCP | Homewards
Rachel Trickey is the Local Delivery Lead for Homewards Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole, part of The Royal Foundation. She leads the delivery of a multi-faceted Action Plan for the locality, focused on young people and understanding how best to prevent youth homelessness. Working in partnership with business leaders, public services, and the voluntary sector, Rachel aims to strengthen pathways into employment, helping young people achieve stability and thrive.
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Jim Chetwode | Founder | Okapi & Co.
Jim Chetwode is the founder of Okapi & Co, an AI-first digital marketing agency based in North Dorset, specialising in SEO for the evolving AI landscape.
Jim is a strong advocate for developing new talent. He has spent nearly a year mentoring a T Level student from Salisbury College, who has since joined the business part-time. Okapi and Co provides students with hands-on experience in digital marketing and insight into running a small business.
Alongside client work, Jim delivers training sessions and webinars to help business owners navigate the fast-changing world of digital marketing.
11.30 | The Power Hour: Keynote Speakers
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Tom Parr | Author, Academic and Social Change Catalyst
A Reader in Political Theory in the Department of Politics and International Studies at the University of Warwick. Tom will shed light on some of the most pressing challenges currently faced in the workplace. This includes AI, technological unemployment, the four-day work week, the gender earnings gap, working from home, and role of higher education.
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Melanie Collins | Head of South – Skills England Regions. Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Melanie has led the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) national programme from the start in 2022 during the Conservative government in the Department of Education (DfE), to the current and 2nd 3-year LSIP programme maintained by the Labour government and now part of the new Skills England body which moved from the DfE to DWP in 2025. During a time of significant and on-going change in the policy environment, Melanie has consistently and successfully advocated for employer led LSIPs to ensure education and training providers are meeting the local needs of the current and future workforce. Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) were introduced by the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022.
Connect on LinkedIn
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Padmasini Dayananda | CEO | Transformative Coaching and Consulting Ltd
Padmasini Dayananda is an award-winning global technology and social impact leader, TEDx speaker, and ranked #4 of the UK’s Top 10 Diverse Leaders in Tech. With over 24 years of cross-industry experience across 40+ countries, she has helped boards, governments and Fortune 500 companies use technology, AI and purpose-driven innovation to deliver commercial growth, social sustainability and large-scale transformation.
As a Strategic Growth Advisor and certified Social Value Practitioner, Padma specialises in helping organisations monetise purpose, build inclusive cultures, and integrate social value into core business and public-sector bidding.
Connect on LinkedIn
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Nicola Newman | Chair of Dorset Skills & Workforce Board
Nicola Newman is Chair of the Chamber-hosted Dorset Skills and Workforce Board. She led the Local Skills Improvement Plan project for its first 3-year cycle till June 2025. Nicola is also a Governor of Coastland College.
Previous local appointments include CEO of Ansbury Guidance, and Board member of the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership and Dorset Chamber. Prior to this Nicola worked as a national Communications Director for Non-Departmental Government Bodies in Education and Sport.
Connect on LinkedInExpo: Meet the Specialists
Through the day visit the Expo stands and meet the providers who can support your business and teams.
