Skills attainment is at the heart of the GBSLEP Strategic Economic Plan.
The long-term people ambition of GBSLEP is to increase our skilled workforce. We are doing this by focusing on our key growth sectors. We view skills as a catalyst to economic recovery and use our business-led work to ensure employers are equipped with people who have the right skills for the jobs on offer.
OUR CORE FOCUS
We are implementing a range of initiatives to ensure we upskill at least 10,000 more people each year at NVQ level 3 (A Level) and above to meet these targets. At GBSLEP such initiatives include:
- A Skills Service designed to work directly with businesses to increase the uptake of training programmes with view to improving business productivity.
- Development of a pipeline of projects that we will support facilities for skills training. This includes the creation of an Institute of Technology, new local STEM and STEAM centres to specifically meet skills needs in the regional economy.
- Working with Higher Education institutions to design a programme to attract and retain more graduates in the area and ensure their progression into appropriate employment after university.
We want young people to be inspired by new opportunities in the workplace. We can do this by improving careers advice, work experience opportunities and pathways into high skilled employment opportunities. We are working with national partners and employers, to ensure our young people have access to the appropriate help.
We are supporting the delivery of skills that are needed in a changing economy. This includes offering digital and data related skills to Level 7 in the Business, Professional and Financial Services sector through our Virtual Digital Skills Academy.