Green and digital partnership brings employers, local authorities and education sector together to address skills gap
A unique public-private sector partnership designed to help combat skills shortages across the green and digital skills sector has launched with its first employer event.
Funded by the Greater London Authority (GLA), the Local London Green Jobs and Skills Partnership brings together leaders from education, local authorities and employers across the Local London sub-region in East and South-East London to create courses and deliver training to help upskill people to work in these crucial sectors.
With around 32,000 green jobs currently rising to 110,000 roles in the green economy projected by 2050, the Partnership is reaching out to employers who work or live in the sub-region to play a part in shaping two significant green and digital programmes, including the creation of an Employer Green and Digital Advisory Board.
⇒ Read the Green Jobs and Skills Research Report from WPI Economics.
⇒ Discover the Local London Green Jobs and Skills Partnership
At the first engagement event last month, employers from across East and South East London heard from representatives from Local London, London South East Colleges (LSEC), Newham College and London Retrofit Programme, about areas of significant green job growth.
The London Retrofit Housing Action Plan that has been developed by London Councils for local authorities across the capital, highlighted significant future green jobs and skills requirements, with immediate needs in the homes and buildings sector.
The event was an opportunity to discuss the government’s employer-led Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) which set out reforms for skills and post 16 technical education. This highlighted the need to make training and skills development more responsive to local labour needs and the need to align courses to meet current and future skills needs across the Green and Digital sectors.
Sarah Murray, Director of Local London, said: “I am delighted with the positive response and insightful discussions we have had at this event from across all the sectors and key partners involved.
Collaboration between education providers, businesses and local authorities is vital to identify where the green and digital jobs growth will happen and to ensure local people have the skills and training to prepare them for these exciting roles. Employers on the Green and Digital Advisory Board will play a key role in helping drive this in the right direction.
I am excited that through this unique project we will pave the way to contribute to social mobility and widen participation for all across the emerging green and digital sectors.”
Get involved
This pioneering partnership is keen to continue engagement with employers and will deliver further initiatives including expert events, knowledge exchanges, and green and digital innovation. This employer-led intelligence will support residents to capitalise on the green jobs boom expected over the coming years.
If you are an employer and would like to get involved or are interested in hearing more about the Local London Strategic Projects and being part of the Employer Green and Digital Advisory Board, please contact greenlocallondon@redbridge.gov.uk
About Local London:
Local London is a sub-regional partnership of nine boroughs: Barking and Dagenham, Bexley, Bromley, Enfield, Greenwich, Havering, Newham, Redbridge and Waltham Forest.
Representing around 2.5 million residents and nearly 100,000 businesses, we are a champion for this sub-region to ensure it responds to a set of mutual issues and challenges, and benefits from existing and emerging opportunities.
About Local London Strategic Projects:
GLA funded: Local London Green and Digital Mayoral Academy – £237k – This is a sub-regional project which will collaborate across 11 further education providers, 9 London boroughs and 30+ employers in the Local London region to ensure the GLA has a central delivery mechanism to improve is Green and Digital curriculum offer.
DfE funded: Local London Green Academies Partnership – £2.46m – This is a sub-regional project which aims to increase inward investment across the Local London region. Through an intensive capital and revenue investment model we will see 13 further education providers collaborate to improve the regions Green skills offer.