Businesses and employers across Herefordshire are being invited to take part in a major conference exploring how the county can build the workforce it will need for the future.

The Herefordshire Skills Conference 2026, hosted by the Herefordshire Growth Hub, will take place on Monday 5 October at Plough Lane, Hereford, bringing together businesses, employers, education and skills partners to explore the challenges and opportunities shaping the future workforce.

The conference will look at some of the key issues facing employers, including the impact of artificial intelligence and new technology, skills shortages, recruitment and retention, productivity, changing expectations of work and creating more inclusive workplaces.

It will be an interactive event, with businesses encouraged to share their experiences, identify the challenges they face and help shape future skills activity in the county.

The programme will include keynote speaker Christine Armstrong, sessions exploring AI and digital technology, employer discussions, live polling and four Business Insight Zones covering health and wellbeing, workforce development planning, AI for business growth and creating inclusive workplaces.

Views collected from businesses during the conference will help inform the development of Herefordshire’s Employment and Skills Strategy.

Herefordshire has significant potential for economic growth, with new and expanding businesses creating opportunities across the county. Developments including the Hereford Enterprise Zone at Skylon Park and the new Ross-on-Wye Enterprise Park are helping to create the space, infrastructure and opportunities for businesses to grow and invest.

Ross-on-Wye Enterprise Park is a 17-acre strategic employment site with the potential to support around 600 jobs when fully developed. Skylon Park has already attracted more than 100 businesses and around 1,500 jobs, with further investment and development planned.

The conference will explore how Herefordshire can ensure its workforce is ready to take advantage of these opportunities, while responding to wider changes including artificial intelligence and new technology, changing expectations of work, skills shortages, recruitment and retention, productivity and inclusive employment.

The Herefordshire Growth Hub will also play a key role in bringing businesses together and supporting them to start, grow and innovate, helping ensure that the skills conversation reflects the needs of businesses across the county.

Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Economy and Growth, Councillor Graham Biggs, said:

“Having the right skills and talent is fundamental to the future growth of Herefordshire’s economy.

“Businesses are already facing changes in technology, the way people work and the skills they need, so it is important that we look ahead and make sure we are preparing for those changes now.

“This conference is an opportunity for businesses to have their say. We want to hear directly from employers about the challenges they face, the opportunities they see and what they believe needs to change.

“By bringing businesses, education and skills partners together, we can build a better understanding of what Herefordshire’s future workforce needs to look like and how we can work together to make it happen.”

The conference will also provide opportunities for businesses to network with other employers and organisations working across the county’s skills and employment sector.

Businesses, employers and skills partners are encouraged to register now to secure their place.

Find out more about the Herefordshire Skills Conference 2026 and register for the event through the Council's website.