Business West has been named as one of eight Chambers of Commerce across England that will lead on a new Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) for its region.
Working in tandem with key education providers, led by Weston College in the region, the pilot project will seek to align further technical education provision in the greater West of England area more closely with the skills needs of local employers.
First outlined in the Department for Education’s Further Education white paper, the aim of LSIPs is to give employers more of a say over the future skills landscape in their locality and be part of addressing skills gaps.
Business West’s Head of Skills Nicky Williams will spearhead the pilot, which also opens up a share of £65m in competitive grant funding for the region. She comments:
“Business West is delighted to have been chosen as one of eight Chambers across England to be a trailblazer for the LSIP in the West of England region.
“As a long-term champion of an employer-led education and skills agenda, we will be working closely with employers in the advanced engineering & aerospace and healthcare sectors to shape the future of skills in our region, in addition to furthering a bid with our education partners, led by Weston College, to secure a share of £65m in grant funding to improve the learner experience.
“The pilot of LSIPs are a real boost for employers and will help make sure that the provision of technical training meets their future needs.”
In developing the Local Skills Improvement Plan Business West will be working closely alongside the West of England Combined Authority and regional education and training providers to ensure alignment with regional strategies.
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