TURBOCHARGING NORTHERN GROWTH North’s Biggest Summit for Education, Employment and Skills is Back in Bradford for 2026

Written By Emily Butler

PRESS RELEASE

17th September, 2025

  • NPEESS26 the growth agenda for the North

  • Government ministers and the North’s  mayors to be joined by key business figures to turbo charge growth

  • New ‘Growth Zones’ for this 2026 as focus turns to the North’s cultural capital and how devolution can unlock our potential 

A fully devolved North could turbocharge national growth - that’s the message coming from this Northern Powerhouse Education, Employment and Skills Summit as we build on the success of #NPEESS in Sheffield in 2023.

Turbocharging Growth is the theme of the summit, which takes place on Thursday 12th February 2026.  The Summit will focus on how we power-up the North’s unique potential to drive productivity, prosperity and opportunities for its people and places..

This major event will be bigger and better than ever before - being held in the amazing Bradford LIVE.  NPEESS26 will have a marketplace vibe with Growth Zones built around connectivity, culture, clean power,  innovation, regeneration, and youth and skills. Alongside the main summit agenda  there will also be a series of mini summits, “in conversations with” and fringe sessions aligned to each zone.

The summit will once again include inspirational key notes from our region’s mayors, national political figures and ministers, plus a host of high-profile business and economic speakers sharing their insights and aspirations for what a turbocharged North could look to deliver for the country.

Confirmed speakers already include Oliver Coppard, Mayor of South Yorkshire, Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council, Henri Maurison, CEO of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership and Fiona Aldridge, Skills England; The Right Hon Lord Blunkett, former Secretary of State for Education; Claire McColgan CBE, Director of Culture for the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority; Joe Docherty former Chair of Council at Durham University, NED and CEO. 

Gill Morris, Founder of Devo Agency and Curator of NPEES26 said: 

“The North needs to invest in a talent pipeline which keeps pace with demand for new jobs and skills to turbocharge clean power, green growth, infrastructure, homes and transport. This Education, Employment and Skills Summit acts as a catalyst for those all important conversations and collaborations that we know have previously led to innovative and creative solutions to help drive action. The North’s Mayors are blazing a trail and powering up opportunities.  Good devolution can unlock growth and prosperity - that’s what it’s all about!”

Henri Murison, confirmed speaker and Chief Executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership said: 

“We know that led by business, supported by city region mayors, our civic leaders and government, all of our institutions need to invest more in those entering and already in the labour market. People need to re-train if the North is to drive and adopt innovation, to close the productivity gap with the South and achieve the government’s growth mission. As the Education Secretary accepts, too many of the persistently disadvantaged children, including from white backgrounds, miss out on opportunities in education, and without restoring the real terms value of the Pupil Premium and reversal of cuts, such as to Opportunity Areas made by their predecessors, it will be impossible to fix. I look forward to sharing ideas and collaborating with government ministers, our mayors and colleagues across the North at this brilliant event right here in Britain’s youngest city - Bradford.”

Super early bird tickets are now on sale via the summit website. 

Emily Butler