Prominent regional businesswoman and Finance Director at major Isle of Wight employer GKN Aerospace Sarah McCarthy-Fry has been appointed chair of the Solent Employment and Skills Board by the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
The voluntary role will see Sarah charged with delivering the Solent LEP’s ambitious employment and skills agenda.
Local Enterprise Partnerships have been given a pivotal responsibility for setting local skills priorities and strategies specifically designed to meet the needs of their economy.
Currently Finance Director at GKN Aerospace, Sarah is well known in the Solent, where she was deputy leader of Portsmouth City Council for five years before becoming Portsmouth North MP between 2005 and 2010, and has considerable knowledge and experience of employment and skills issues.
Sarah said:
“The Solent has a strong pool of skilled workers, especially in the marine, aerospace and advanced manufacturing sectors. We are also lucky to have such fantastic universities and education institutions. It is important to recognise that we still face significant challenges in producing the skilled workforce tomorrow’s Solent economy needs in order to thrive and I look forward to working in my role as ESB Chair to ensure local people have the skills required to take up the new job opportunities that colleagues at the Solent LEP are working to create.”
Chris Allington, Solent LEP board director with responsibility for skills, said:
“It is fantastic news for the region, its young people and its businesses that someone of Sarah’s experience and stature is on board.
We have ambitious targets to deliver the skills business needs to grow. We want to work with enterprises, education and training providers and employers to help ensure provision meets local needs and Sarah is the ideal choice to drive this crucial project.”
