Employers in Warwickshire brought together to steer future skills provision

Warwickshire businesses from a range of industries have been brought together to ensure the future of skills and training in the region meets the needs of employers.

The team behind the Warwickshire Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) – a statutory initiative to help grow the economy by closing the skills gap – have brought together leaders from key growth sectors to sit on its Employer Steering Group.

The group, which also includes industry bodies, will meet four times a year and will bring insight and feedback from their own sectors to ensure training providers, FE colleges and others involved in skills development are providing courses and programmes that fit their needs.

Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber Commerce is leading on the LSIP in Warwickshire in partnership with Warwickshire County Council through Warwickshire Skills Hub and Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce.

Corin Crane, chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “The LSIP is the government putting the development skills and training into the hands of employers in their local area. They know what’s missing and what skills might be required for them to grow in the future.

“It’s up to providers to respond to that and ensure that training programmes, courses and skills provision generally fit those needs so that people in the region can take up the jobs that will get the economy growing both now and in the future.

“The Employer Steering Group covers a wide cross section of industries and will provide strategic direction and insight to ensure we are are kept firmly up to date with changing needs and ensure they are fed back to providers.”

Businesses from all parts of the county are represented on the group. They cover everything from advanced manufacturing and defence through to digital and creative and from social care and hospitality through to professional services and construction.

The Warwickshire Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) was signed off by Government in July and was written on the back of months of consultation with more than 700 employers, educators and regional stakeholders across the county to understand what skills are required for growth and where there are gaps in training provision.

The new plan links directly to the Warwickshire Employment and Skills Strategy which is a comprehensive framework to align local skills provision with business demand and promote sustainable economic growth.

Councillor Rob Howard, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economy and Rural Development, said: “The LSIP provides an important opportunity to strengthen the voice of employers in shaping skills provision across Warwickshire. This new Employer Steering Group will help maintain that dialogue and ensure emerging needs from across our key sectors are clearly understood.

“The next step is to turn that insight into practical action. By working closely with the Chamber, employers, colleges and training providers, and aligning this work with our Warwickshire Employment and Skills Strategy, together we can support a skills offer that is increasingly responsive, accessible and focused on the opportunities that will help our people and economy thrive.”