The visit to Cumbria by new Northern Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry MP earlier in the summer was welcomed by local business leaders and skills providers.

Mr Berry visited two of Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership’s key projects, the University’s of Cumbria’s new Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) labs and Carlisle airport.

Cumbria LEP has invested £784,000 in the STEM labs to address the area’s skills shortages, and is supporting the airport with funding of £4.75m to improve Cumbria’s connectivity.

At Carlisle airport, the minister met Andrew Tinkler, the then CEO of Stobart Group, which owns the airport. The money Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership plans to invest will improve the runway and terminal. It will allow new passenger routes to Belfast, London Southend and Dublin, and create international hub services with direct flights to most of Europe and cities in the US including New York, Boston and Washington.

Board member of Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership Rob Johnston said: “Carlisle airport is crucial to Cumbria’s growth ambitions. Developing the airport’s passenger offer will play an important role in maximising Cumbria’s tourism potential by helping to increase international visits. It will also allow easier business travel to and from the county. It is a key strategic asset for the county, will help facilitate wider economic growth and has the potential to become a strategically significant logistics hub.”

Mr Berry was also shown around the University of Cumbria STEM labs by Sandra Booth, the Pro Vice Chancellor for Enterprise, Business Development and Engagement. The £3.5m labs were created to respond to Cumbria’s shortage of graduates with science skills, to support industry requiring skilled staff and to create more opportunities for young people to study STEM subjects in the area.

Sandra Booth said: “Northern Powerhouse projects create demand for engineering and science graduates, and people with project management skills. STEM is therefore a major priority for the university. The development of the university’s new science, and engineering portfolio is in direct response to local industry needs.

“The skills and knowledge students acquire from studying degrees and apprenticeships in STEM subjects will enhance their employability prospects and create a wider pool of skilled graduates providing a significant long-term boost in human capital to Cumbria’s economy.”

Rob Johnston added: “We had a very useful meeting in which I and others stressed to the minister the importance of Cumbria to the success of the Northern Powerhouse and the UK economy: the need for the government to do everything possible to deliver Moorside; and that although we are anticipating international investment of £25bn within the next decade, we still need support and investment in infrastructure, skills and flood resilience.