Local Skills Report refresh 2021/22
As we have the Local Skills Improvement Plan trailblazer in our area, led by the Sussex Chamber of Commerce, we have agreed with the Department for Education not to provide a full refresh of our Local Skills Report this year. We have produced an update from Fran Rutter, the Chair of the Skills 360 Board, and refreshed Annex A which sets out the labour market and skills data for the area. A fuller picture of the Coast to Capital economy and the impact of Covid-19 can be found here and is updated quarterly.
Construction Sector Report
The Coast to Capital Skills 360 Board recently commissioned a research report that to identify the size and type of major construction infrastructure projects in the area over the next 10 years and alongside that, the size of the labour market opportunity and the associated skills needs.
We hope that this report will be of interest to various audiences within the education, public and private sectors and we would anticipate that it is used to:
- raise awareness of construction as an important economic sector in Coast to Capital and the significance of construction roles within the labour market
- highlight the economic, social and environmental drivers impacting the construction sector and what this means for the kinds of roles that will be in demand and the skills that will be needed
- encourage collaboration between education providers, construction companies and organisations responsible for large scale infrastructure projects
The report can be downloaded here or in the 'Related Resources' section of this page. A presentation setting out the main highlights of the report can be found here.
Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) Trailblazers
Sussex and Kent Invicta Chambers of Commerce, Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and South East LEP are pleased to be working collaboratively on the development of two Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) trailblazers for Sussex and for Kent & Medway. The relationship between the Chambers and the LEPs’ employer led Skills Advisory Panels (SAPs) will be key to understanding demand, with business representatives bringing a wealth of expertise and sector specific experience, and a commitment to understanding and tackling skills gaps. Further Education partners from Sussex and Kent are also engaged to ensure colleges and providers are primed to consider approaches to respond to the emerging challenges. The LSIPs will build on existing data and research activity from the SAPs to better understand skills shortages in priority sectors within the LSIP geographies. This joint approach will allow us to share lessons learned with other areas, notably Surrey and Essex which also fall within the two LEP areas.
Covid-19 Skills and Labour Market Impact Assessments
We have published three Skills and Labour Market Impact Assessments between January 2020 and June 2021. These can be found in the related resources section of this page.
As of August 2021 these impact assessments will be incorporated into our COVID-19 Economic Impact Dashboards which can be found here.
Construction Sector Spotlight
The project will explore how we can make the most of the employment opportunities in the sector now and into the future. The project will also look to raise the profile of the sector and of sector specific initiatives which support economic recovery; highlight career opportunities in the sector and ensure that the relevant training is available for young people and adults to meet project demands, including skills for regeneration and net-zero.
Coast to Capital Local Skills Report 2020/21
Coast to Capital’s Skills Advisory Panel, the Skills 360 Board, are pleased to announce the publication of the first Local Skills Report for the area.
Local Skills Reports are a requirement of all SAPs and were introduced by DfE to provide a clear and consistent view of local skills needs across areas in a relevant and engaging format for local partners.
Our Local Skills Report incorporates our previously published Skills Strategy and Action Plan for 2020 – 25, but also includes a progress update, case studies and a data annex of core indicators.
We hope that the Local Skills Report will be a useful tool in engaging partners and stakeholders across the region to work collaboratively with the Skills 360 Board to achieve our aspirations for skills and employment in Coast to Capital.
FE White Paper: Skills for Jobs
Department for Education recently published a white paper ‘Skills for jobs: lifelong learning for opportunity and growth’ which sets out reforms to post-16 technical education and training to support people to develop the skills needed to get good jobs and improve national productivity.
Summary:
- Business groups, including Chambers of Commerce, working alongside colleges to develop tailored Local Skills Improvement Plans to meet local training needs
- A £65 million Investment in local skills priorities with reference to a new Strategic Development Fund and the beefing up of the recently announced Skills and Productivity Board.
- Giving employers a central role in designing almost all technical courses by 2030, to ensure that the education and training people receive is directly linked to the skills needed for real jobs.
- Boosting the quality and uptake of Higher Technical Qualifications - that provide the skills that many employers say they need and that can lead to higher wages – by introducing newly approved qualifications from September 2022 supported by a government-backed brand and quality mark.
- Changing the law so that from 2025 people can access flexible student finance so they can train and retrain throughout their lives, supported by funding in 21/22 to test ways to boost access to more modular and flexible learning.
- Overhauling the funding and accountability rules, so funding is better targeted at supporting high quality education and training that meets the needs of employers; and introducing new powers to intervene when colleges are failing to deliver good outcomes for the communities they serve.
- Identification of careers education as strong underpinning to all announcements and Government’s overall ambition to raising the stakes on lifelong learning, skills and growth.
- Commitment to continuing infrastructure roll-out including Careers Hubs, the Enterprise Adviser Network and high-quality Careers Leader Training.
- Launching a nationwide recruitment campaign to get more talented individuals to teach in further education and investing in high quality professional development including a new Workforce Industry Exchange Programme.
Further information can be found on the gov.uk website here.
Coast to Capital Skills Strategy and Action Plan
Coast to Capital's Skills Strategy and Action Plan has been produced by the Skills 360 Board and sets out the skills strategy and locally tailored skills action plan to support the recovery and future resilience of the people, businesses and places in the Coast to Capital economy.
The Skills Strategy and Action Plan now forms part of our Local Skills Report (published March 2021).
Here is a recording of our virtual event to formally launch the Skills Strategy and Action Plan in December 2020.
A Q&A document addressing questions submitted that weren't answered during the event can be found in the related resources section of this page.
The Skills Toolkit
The Skills Toolkit is an online platform, giving people easy access to free, high
quality digital and numeracy courses to help them build up their skills, progress in
work and boost their job prospects.
The platform offers a range of courses at all levels, from introductory to advanced,
which were chosen in consultation with top businesses and educational experts.
It's open to everyone, whether they've been furloughed and want to learn new
skills, are out of work and looking to build up their CV, or if they're just keen to
keep their mind healthy and busy during time spent at home.
Focussing on the skills many employers need the most, The Skills Toolkit is a first
step towards recovery, helping to boost the nation's growth and productivity.
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