Veejay Patel to speak at the Midlands Economic Summit - The Proven National Leader for Youth Employment

In recent months, we’ve seen national figures brought in to stabilise and strengthen major public systems. That level of expertise is welcome.

In the employability sector, we already have a leader whose track record stands shoulder‑to‑shoulder with the very best: Veejay Patel.

For more than four decades, Veejay has delivered high‑performance, evidence‑based programmes that consistently help young people move into sustainable work. His leadership is not built on theory or short‑term initiatives — it is built on what works, refined through thousands of real outcomes, deep employer partnerships, and a lifetime of service to communities across the Midlands and the wider UK.

The Milburn paper has made one thing clear: the country needs stability, proven practice, and leaders who understand the complexity of delivery on the ground.

I believe this is the moment for experienced providers and tried‑and‑tested approaches. The experimenting comes later — once young people have the stability and support they need now.

Veejay embodies that principle. His work has shaped employer pipelines, strengthened local economies, and supported young people through multiple economic cycles. Few leaders in our sector have delivered at such a consistently high level, for such a sustained period, with such clear impact.

That is why I am proud that Veejay will speak at the Midlands Economic Summit 2026, addressing youth employment as a national priority. His contribution will be grounded in four decades of high‑performance delivery — not assumptions, not theory, but what genuinely works.

At the Summit, he will also launch a new collaborative youth employment pilot, bringing together employers, training providers, local authorities, and community partners. This reflects the direction set out in the Milburn paper: partnership‑driven, evidence‑led, and focused on scaling what works. It also includes a call for collaboration to organisations who want to help shape practical, scalable solutions for young people across the UK.

After 40 years of exceptional performance, Veejay remains one of the most trusted and experienced leaders in employability. His insight, his methods, and his leadership are exactly what the UK needs at this moment of national challenge.

Just as other sectors have turned to proven national leaders, the employability sector already has one.

The country needs Veejay Patel — and it needs him now.

— Louise Myatt

Deputy CEO, Business 2 Business

Former Commissioner, West Midlands Combined Authority