Talk of skills shortages and future talent pipelines can make the challenge feel abstract and intractable. At the Oxfordshire Business Summit 2026 (OBS2026), Edward Collett of Abingdon & Witney College offered a refreshingly practical answer: go and talk to young people directly.

His advice from Blenheim Palace cuts through the complexity with a single, achievable action.

Start with a local school or college

The most effective way for businesses to play an active role in shaping future talent, Collett argued, is also the most direct. Engage with a local school or college. Attend an open evening. Talk to young people about what your business does, the kinds of jobs you have, and what you need from the people who fill them.

Young people cannot be what they cannot see

Collett acknowledged the phrase is a little cheesy, but its truth is hard to argue with: young people cannot aspire to roles they have never encountered. The remedy is simply visibility. By turning up and explaining what you do and why someone would want to work for you, businesses make careers feel real and reachable.

A pipeline built on relationships

For the Oxfordshire business community, the implication is encouraging. Strengthening the future workforce does not necessarily require large budgets or elaborate schemes. It begins with employers being willing to show up, share their story, and open a door that a young person might not have known existed.

In summary

Collett’s message reframes the skills challenge as something every business can act on this term, not next year. The most valuable contribution to the local talent pipeline may simply be a conversation with the people who will one day fill your roles.

This interview was filmed and produced by our Media Partner, MOTION3. https://motion3.agency

Watch the interview below.