80 | Tees Business
SKILLS
SET
Womble Bond Dickinson managing associate Sarah Daun
on how the law firm is keen to nurture a future leaders
network to help retain skills for the Tees region…
L
ooking around the room at the
Chemical Industry Association (CIA)
Future Forum event at the STEM
Centre in Middlesbrough recently, the
enthusiasm for an active network in the
process industry for junior to mid-level
management on Teesside was clear.
The CIA Future Forum is more than
just a network for professionals at the
start of their career or who are keen to
broaden their skills and ultimately voice
their opinions on behalf of the UK
chemical and pharmaceutical industry.
The event was an opportunity
for the network to get together
on Teesside, hear from the Future
Forum’s newly appointed Young
Ambassador (the leader of the Future
Forum for 2018-19), Jennifer Peake,
and also hear from Paul Booth OBE
about his career to date and the
opportunities facing the region.
As a firm, Womble Bond
Dickinson has worked for
many years with both the
CIA and the North East
Process Industry Cluster
(NEPIC) to try to reinvigorate
networking at this level in
the Tees region.
In fact, a number of our
team have been recognised
in previous years as Young
Achievers at the NEPIC
Annual Awards for their
contributions to the sector.
The latest meeting was the third
Future Forum event in the last
year and arguably the most
successful yet.
Enthusiasm - Womble Bond
Dickinson’s Sarah Daun.
Some time ago we identified that
while there are strong networks of senior
managers within the process industry
on Teesside (due to the fact much of the
industry was under the common ownership
of ICI), future leaders and more junior
managers who are perhaps new to the
industry on Teesside have more limited
networking opportunities than existed 30
years ago.
We strongly believe that developing a
network at more junior levels is central to
attracting and retaining the best individuals
to Teesside’s chemical and pharmaceutical
industry.
The excellent attendance at the CIA
Future Forum event and speaking to those
in attendance confirmed our view that a
regional network could be crucial to both
attracting and retaining the talent that the
industry needs to continue to prosper.
Alongside social networking, a regional
programme will focus on the development
of skills through joint training and knowledge
sharing. It can also present a platform for
discussing issues which are affecting the
process industry on Teesside.
The decisions being taken today by leaders
of the businesses on Teesside will have
the most impact on the next generation
of leaders so it is vital that the leaders of
tomorrow have the opportunity to make their
voices and opinions heard today.
The appetite for a network clearly exists.
All of the attendees we spoke to saw the
value in the network and were passionate
about the future success of the sector.
That’s why we are working closely with
NEPIC and the CIA to build on previous
events and help this network to flourish.