Helene Dearne OBE is a Commissioner of the newly launched Skills Commission inquiry. 

Helene is a prominent figure in the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), where she serves as the Executive Director of Employment, Skills, Health and Communities. Helene brings extensive experience in workforce development and regional economic growth. She oversees the implementation of WMCA's Employment and Skills Strategy, which aims to create an integrated system to stimulate economic growth and deliver better outcomes for residents and businesses. Under her leadership, the WMCA has made significant strides in adult education, training over 56,000 learners in the latest academic year and supporting 7,000 unemployed adults into work. Dearne is also responsible for developing the All-Age Careers Strategy for the West Midlands, working to coordinate and improve careers provision across the region. Her role involves collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders, including local authorities, colleges, universities, and government departments, to drive forward the Authority's agenda on employment, skills, and community development.