Skills was the primary focus at our recent Norfolk & Suffolk Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) Co.llaboration event at Newmarket Racecourse. The event showcased the extensive employer engagement across both counties and the collaborative work undertaken with many key stakeholders, including colleges, independent training providers, local authorities, the DWP, universities and many others around the region’s skills gaps and needs. Through a series of interactive panel discussions, we heard the employer’s perspective, the provider perspective and the findings of four deep-dive pieces of work around the LSIP’s themes and cross-cutting themes: Agri-tech/Food Processing, Net Zero, Soft or Impact Skills and Digital Workforce Skills. Opening the event, John Dugmore, Chief Executive of Suffolk Chamber of Commerce said: “Skills development supports the local economy, but is also important for our social landscape – supporting young people coming in to work with the right attitudes is just as important as training up managers to effectively run the business. The LSIP has been listening to employers, but it is also there to highlight that our partners in education establishments and the independent training providers are already doing great work in this space and whilst there is always more work that can be done to ensure that we exploit all the opportunities available to us, as we’ll see this afternoon, we start from a very strong position already.” The LSIP Project Manager, Dean Pierpoint, facilitated the panel discussions and commented on the clear shared the passion, determination, and desire to support skills development to meet the future skills needs by all involved. Key messages from the discussions:
- Apprenticeships are still a key focus within the region and this was demonstrated by Harry Harris of SWARM who shared his enthusiasm and willingness to support businesses with apprenticeships.
- There is a need for consistent language to be used in the skills landscape, at present employers are not understanding the skills language used by providers and the Department for Education.
- Encouragement of the coming together or private and FE training providers, to further support the local skills required for businesses to continue to grow in Norfolk and Suffolk
- Now is the time to keep the momentum going and to drive the skills agenda forward this can only be achieved with continuous ongoing engagement with both employer, providers and all relevant stakeholders.
Nova Fairbank, Chief Executive of Norfolk Chambers rounded the afternoon off by outlining the next steps for the LSIP, including how the LSIP will move forward into Phase II. Commenting on the hard work done to date by the LSIP team she said: “Investment in skills is a priority to support Norfolk and Suffolk businesses and the LSIP and all our partners and stakeholders are collaborating to achieve this. The final LSIP Report will be submitted to the Secretary of State for Education by 31 May 2023. However, the submission of the LSIP report is not the end – just the end of the beginning. The LSIP report is not a document that will sit on a shelf gathering dust. It becomes an ongoing, living, breathing, evolving document that is a template for business and skills engagement across Norfolk and Suffolk. This can only be achieved by continued ongoing close collaboration with our wide range of stakeholders and businesses across Norfolk and Suffolk.” For more information on how to get involved with the Norfolk and Suffolk LSIP, please email [email protected]. To get involved with the LSIP’s work and to have your say, please visit the Norfolk and Suffolk LSIP LinkedIn Group: Stay connected with the latest research, surveys, events, news and discussions 🌟
