Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Our modern Industrial Strategy sets out our long-term plan to boost productivity by backing business to create high quality, well-paid jobs throughout the United Kingdom with investment in skills, industries and infrastructure. In Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire a partnership of business and civic leaders — alongside other local Population: 1,126,200 partners — is working with the government to build on Businesses: 46,190 existing strengths, help business to flourish, and grow skills and opportunities for workers across the area. Case study: Industrial Strategy highlights include: Stafford College Science & Technology Centre (STC) £2.6m to Cobra Biologics to The Stafford College Science develop cell and gene therapy and Technology Centre is products that can improve and focusing on developing STEM- even save lives, including helping related curriculum for young turn scientific discoveries into people, primarily at levels 3, medicines ready for patients. 4 and 5. The centre opened last year in September 2017 following a £2m investment from the Local Growth Fund £10m to accelerate and houses state-of-the-art housebuilding by providing science and engineering the vital infrastructure to facilities. It also includes a access new and existing sites. Lego innovation hub, which focuses on the technical aspects of learning through the medium of Lego. £2.8m for improvements to infrastructure to open up For more examples Bericote Four Ashes Business go to bit.ly/IS-map Park in Wolverhampton. Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire 548,800 people in Local Enterprise Partnership is now working employment, an increase of with the government to develop its Local 35,800 since 2010. 23,500 Industrial Strategy. workers directly benefiting from the National Living and We have committed more than £45bn to Minimum Wages. 8,680 IndustrialWe have already Strategy committed programmes more supporting than £45 apprenticeships starts last year. research,billion to national local infrastructure, and local workers training throughout and businessthe UK as growth part of throughout the Industrial the Strategy.United Kingdom.This money This is alreadymoney isstarting already to starting be spent to be spenton the on ground. the ground..