Transforming the Skills Landscape: one year on

Our Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) Progress Report, published today, provides an update on how businesses and training providers are working together to bridge major skills gaps in our sub-region.

Great strides have been taken in the first year since the launch of ‘Mind the Skills Gap’ our plan for improving skills across our sub-region. Support from employers, education and training providers and government at all levels has ensured that recommendations in the plan are being realised.

Anyone invested in skill development and implementation efforts and how these support the wider economy in Local London will want to read this progress report and get involved in developing training that meets career needs.

⇒Read the Progress Report 2024 for year one

Highlights from year one and future initiatives

This first year progress report offers insights into ongoing initiatives and opportunities for involvement and highlights exciting changes already underway in training and education in our sub-region, including:

• Sector deep dives on skills gaps.
• Chamber of Commerce collaboration.
• LSIF (Local Skills Improvement Fund) activity around green and digital projects.
• Responses to the LSIP by individual education and training providers.

Why do we need to address skills gaps?

Our sub-region is the fastest growing part of the capital and has huge potential for inclusive growth that benefits all our boroughs’ residents. Yet, unemployment in our sub-region tracks higher than the national and London averages.

Alongside this, compared to other parts of London, employers in south east and north east London continue to have more pronounced concerns about skills shortages among their existing staff, and worries around skills challenges.

How we are closing local skills gaps

To help tackle these challenges, we are bringing together stakeholders in the sub-region to implement the findings in our employer-led LSIP and are making the case with partners for the devolution of skills funding.

‘Mind the Skills Gap’ our LSIP for this part of London, and this year one progress report have been created for a diverse audience with an interest in aligning skills and training provision with employers’ needs. This includes employers and businesses in the sub-region who are already involved, as well as those who have yet to engage with the LSIP.

Reflecting research into skills needs across our nine boroughs, our LSIP is part of the pan-London LSIP produced by Business LDN in September 2023 for the Department for Education. Priority needs for addressing skills shortages in this part of London centre around five key sectors:

• Construction
• Digital and Creative
• Health and Social Care
• Manufacturing
• Distribution

Our research also identified eight shared themes: green skills; digital skills; support (including ESOL); skills provision; information and advice; cooperation and engagement; funding; and tackling inequality.

Learn more about our LSIP: www.local.london/lsip

Find out more and get involved with our LSIP

Local Businesses and Employers

Local businesses are encouraged to engage with the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) for the Local London sub-region by assessing their workforce development needs in alignment with LSIP objectives.

We openly invite businesses to participate in recruitment fairs and careers events across our boroughs, as well as inspiring students to broaden their career aspirations as ‘enterprise advisers’, ensuring these efforts are consistent with the LSIP’s strategic goals.

Through our extensive network of colleges and training providers, we facilitate potential partnerships and collaborative programs with employers aimed at addressing local skills gaps.

Discover more about how we work with businesses: www.local.london/businesses

Watch our video to learn more about becoming an enterprise adviser:

Local colleges and training providers

Colleges, training providers and technical institutes will find a comprehensive overview of the work to date to develop courses and facilities that better meet developing employer-needs in this progress report.

For further information, visit: www.locallondonskillsproviders.com