The ADS Scotland Skills Summit, delivered in partnership with Fife College, brings together employers, educators, apprentices and graduates to tackle one of the most important challenges facing our aerospace, defence, security and space sectors: developing the workforce we need for tomorrow.
More than a networking event, the Skills Summit is a chance to work alongside industry leaders, educators and future talent to identify the skills our sectors need next, strengthen Scotland's talent pipeline and help build a resilient, future-ready aerospace, defence, security and space ecosystem.
Agenda
- 09:30 - Registration and refreshments
- 10:00 - Welcome - Andrew Williams (Director, ADS Scotland)
- 10:10 - Welcome - Jim Metcalf (Principal, Fife College)
- 10:20 - Setting the scene: Scotland's Skills Landscape - Paul Oxley (Director General - ADS Skills, ADS)
- 10:35 - Industry Spotlight - Stewart McKinlay (Skills Director, National Manufacturing Institute of Scotland) and Paul Sheerin (CEO, Scottish Engineering)
- 10:50 - Business Panel - Paul Oxley, Chair with Natasha Allan (Capability & Propsperity Director, Babcock), Colin Scouller (UK Head of engineering Early Careers, Thales), Jon Packham (Operations Delivery Manager, Belcan), Mitchell Barrowman (Apprentice Suppervisor, Navantia), David Wilson (Head of Early Careers and Skills, Naval Ships BAE)
- 11:35 - Break
- 11:50 - Apprentice Panel - Mitchell Barrowman, Chair with apprentices
- 12:20 - Lunch
- 13:00 - Academia and Skills Panel - Sarah Jayne Linton (Vice-Principle, Fede College) Chair with Sharon Pryde (Skills & Fair Work Manager, Forth Green Freeport), Natasha Kinnear (Head of Partnerships, Primary Engineer), Phil Brown (West College Scotland), Kostas Kontis (Professor of Aerospace Engineering and Dean of University of Glasgow)
- 13:40 - Keynote address by Graeme Downie MP
- 14:00 - SME Panel Discussion - Mhairi Brown (Business Consultant, Skylands Aviation) Chair with Tom Hanratty (Business Development Manager, ATL Turbines), Charles Henery (Managing Director, ACLAS Technics), Katie Gray (Customer SUpport Engineer, Standard Aero), David Wilson (AGIC)
- 14:45 - Closing remarks - Paul Oxley (Director General - ADS Skills)
This flagship forum offers a unique opportunity to connect with major primes, innovative SMEs, fellow ADS members, educators and emerging talent while taking part in practical discussions that will help shape the future of Scotland's skills landscape. Whether you're looking to influence future workforce strategies, strengthen industry-academia collaboration, share best practice or develop new partnerships, this is where the conversation happens.
Register to attend
Click on the 'Register Now' button and login to book your place. You can register for an ADS website login if you do not have one by clicking here.
