Who we are

Skills Director, North East Local Enterprise Partnership

As the Skills Director for the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Michelle Rainbow’s goal is a bold one. She wants the North East to become a national exemplar for skills, social mobility and inclusivity.

An influential diversity and inclusivity champion, throughout her career Michelle has consistently pioneered an ‘each and every’ approach. Since joining the LEP, she has placed this at the heart of the Strategic Economic Plan and ensured it underpins the Skills agenda so no-one is left behind.

With a number of pioneering skills and employability programmes under way, Michelle’s role is to lead, fund and deliver a business-led approach that enables the North East LEP to realise its Skills ambition, which is to ensure that the local economy has a supply of skilled workforce to meet the demand needed both now and in the future.

Prior to joining the North East LEP, Michelle held senior posts in a number of private sector SME businesses and the NHS and ran her own business for 9 years. This diverse experience and a focus on funding and business development has given Michelle a broad perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing the North East and the solutions needed.

Michelle is a ex Officio member of the Inclusive Economy Board.