Employer shares experience of Sector-Based Work Academy Programmes

We recently hosted the second in a series of webinars designed to support micro, small and medium-sized businesses in London to find and develop existing talent.

Over 70 people joined the online session which focused on Sector-Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs), an initiative helping employers bridge skills gaps while providing jobseekers with essential training and employment opportunities.

SWAPs can create a skilled workforce for businesses of any type. Employers and training providers create short sector-specific upskills training programmes for unemployed people, giving them the right skills to find jobs in that sector.

The event was highly interactive. Attendees from businesses across London, public sector and education partners posed live questions to a panel of experts representing all perspectives of this collaborative approach to addressing employers’ skills needs, including:

• Roy Pearce and Lauren Rogers from L&Q, a leading housing provider, shared their perspective on using SWAPs to address skills shortages and enhance social impact in their business.
• Divine Bonsu, who joined L&Q through SWAPs, provided a first-hand account of her journey, offering valuable insights into how the programme has shaped her career.
• Adrian Gabriel-Lovell, Operations Manager, and Abigail Fernandes, Employer and Partnership Manager from Jobcentre Plus who explained how SWAPs connect jobseekers with training providers and helps employers to create direct pathways into work.
• Paul Mason Hughes, Community and Partnerships Manager at New City College, discussed how educational institutions can collaborate with employers to ensure training aligns with industry needs.
• Cathy Back, LSIP Employer Engagement at Local London, outlined how employers and training providers are addressing local skills gaps through SWAPs and other initiatives.

“It was an excellent webinar. My knowledge of SWAPs has increased, and it was great to hear the success stories of the SWAP” commented one attendee after the event.

Watch the webinar

The webinar was delivered as part of the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP), a pan-London strategy funded by the Department for Education and delivered by Business LDN in collaboration with London’s four sub-regional partnerships (SRPs): Local London, South London Partnership (SLP), Central London Forward (CLF), and West London Alliance (WLA).

The London LSIP aims to create employer-led training initiatives that address workforce development needs across the capital.

Sign up to the next event in the series

• 1-2pm
• 26 February 2025

Join South London Partnerships and South London Careers Hub to explore: How do we give young people meaningful experiences of the world of work and inspire the next generation? Book your place at the next FREE webinar in the series.

Stay up-to-date with the LSIP

For more information on upcoming webinars and workforce development initiatives, explore our website or get in touch with lsip.locallondon@redbridge.gov.uk if you would like access to the webinar recording.

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