Jobs, Skills, Hope: Staffordshire's New Era of Opportunity
Plus Product Design Centre opens at the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Institute of Technology, Potteries Museum poised for revamp, and quit smoking in Stoptober…
This month, we are supported by Steel Door Company, luxury steel doors to transform your home 🚪 🏠 🔨
Good News 🎉
👧 Help for Jobs. The Get Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Working plan aims to create opportunities for residents regardless of their qualifications, or perceived barriers. Part of the national Get Britain Working programme, which sets out to achieve an 80 per cent employment rate across the UK, this means helping at least 11,000 more residents into work here in Stoke. The plan has been approved by all council leaders, Jobcentre Plus, and the Integrated Care Board, and will be delivered over a 10-year period from 2025 to 2035. Find out more here.
🛥️ THE KNOT’S PERSON OF THE WEEK – James Horrocks 🛥️
The 2025 Superyacht UK (SYUK) Young Designer Competition brought together emerging designers from undergraduate and Master’s programmes across the UK to compete for top honours during the Southampton International Boat Show. Students from the University of Staffordshire’s BA (Hons) Automotive & Transport Design course – Ethan Meekin, Adrian Lopez Herranz, Austin Hibbs, and James Horrocks – made up half of the shortlist. James narrowly missed first place but came second overall and won a week-long internship with superyacht designer Olesinski for his efforts. The 19-year-old’s winning design was a futuristic concept, a 50m yacht called Vita Maris, meaning “life of the sea” in Latin.
👨💻 Product Design Centre Launches. Based at the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Institute of Technology, this new hub will help businesses bring new ideas to life by offering an end-to-end product development service with support from engineers. Businesses can access CAD/CAM systems, a Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM), an electronics assembly and testing laboratory, 3D FDM and Polyjet printers, and a Mazak 5-Axis CNC machine. The centre will also deliver fully-funded training courses, including Coaching and Mentoring, Digital Marketing, Introduction to AI, 3D Modelling, and CNC Machining.
🚬 Stub it Out. People living in Staffordshire who are keen to stop smoking can access free nicotine patches, gum, inhalators, vapes, and prescribed medications as part of this year’s Stoptober, the national quit smoking campaign, which runs throughout this month. Get in touch on the Everyone Health website or call 0333 005 0095 if you want to quit the cigs, and read success stories here.
👩👩👦👦 Family Hub Services for Hanley Market. Families in Stoke-on-Trent can now access extra support in the heart of the city, with new Family Hub services launching at Hanley Indoor Market. For the first time, family activities, events, and drop-in support will be offered from a dedicated space at the market, with information and support for families with kids from birth to 19, or 25 if SEND.
👔 Local MP Celebrates Small Businesses. Stoke-on-Trent Central MP, Gareth Snell, is asking residents to nominate their favourite independent businesses for his Small Business Awards in the run-up to the nationwide celebration day Small Business Saturday on 06/12. Highlighting the role they play in keeping high streets vibrant, creating jobs, and driving the local economy, every business nominated will be featured on Gareth’s social media channels and receive a poster to display, encouraging customers to vote for them. Got a business you’d like to champion? Vote for them at Gareth’s website.
☕️ Potteries Museum set for Revamp. Stoke’s flagship museum is about to enter the next stage of its transformation, with work set to begin this December. Plans include a new main corner entrance with full-height glazing, a new cafe and shopping experience with an open terrace, alongside space for artists in residence. The funding has also created a new reading room for the archive service and an upgraded teaching and learning space. The museum will partially close from 07/12, and from 20/12, there will be a full closure until March 2026.
🥪 Top Blogger Gives Thumbs to Stoke’s Food Scene. Food blogger Only Scrans, who has more than 1.5 million followers across social media, recently put together a 27-minute video, ‘Why is the food in Stoke so good?’, visiting London Road Oatcakes (“give me an oatcake over a fry-up any day”), The Slamwich Club, and Little Dumpling King, which he described as “having some of the most incredible and unique dumplings you’ll find anywhere in the UK.” We know this trio of ace eateries is fab, but it’s great to see them get the recognition they deserve.
🥨 Ay up. A word from Helen, editor/writer at The Knot
While I’m lucky to have a job I love — writing The Knot for you lovely lot — I still remember that gnawing sense of inadequacy when I was the very last person on my journalism course to land a job. Being out of work is tough, especially when you’re eager to contribute but feel held back by things beyond your control, whether that’s physical or emotional challenges, gender inequality, or ageism.
Coming into force in April next year, the Get Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Working Plan aims to support to a wide range of people — from those living with long-term health conditions to disadvantaged young people aged 16 to 24 who aren’t in education, employment or training. It will also provide support for workers aged 50 to 64, individuals managing mental health issues, people with disabilities, women facing childcare-related barriers, and residents in communities experiencing deprivation. The plan will evolve over the next two years, shaped by consultation and data analysis.
While we applaud extra funding to help people back into the workplace, we’re concerned that some people who genuinely can’t work for health reasons or whatever may feel pressured to re-enter the workplace or risk having their benefits cut. What do you think the council should be doing over the next two years during the consultation process? Tell us in the comments below…
Really Good News 🎉 Your favourite news from the last week
🏺 Moorcroft is all Fired Up: You were keen to read about them reopening
🍻 Stone Pub Named Best in Britain: Have you been to Crown Wharf yet?
🛍️ Reclaiming Hanley: Readers are still loving this feel-good piece…
The Knot on Socials: Rach posted some fab pics of the British Ceramics Biennial – check them out at the link below!
Weekly Weather (Stoke-on-Trent):
Mon ☁️ 17° (9°) Tue ☁️ 17° (10°) Wed 🌧️ 14° (7°) Thu ☁️ 15° (9°) Fri ⛅️ 16° (8°)
⛅️ 15° (8°) Sun ⛅️ 14° (5°).
Sunrise 06/10 ☀️07:18 Sunset 06/10 🌅 18:35