Local Skills Report sets priorities for the South West

The Heart of the South West Skills Launchpad, part of the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership (HotSW LEP), has launched a Local Skills Report, which sets out priorities for the region for 2022 to 2024. 

The report recognises that the area's economy is shaped and led by the skills of its residents and businesses, but that the level of those holding a higher-level qualification or working in a professional occupation within the Heart of South West remains below the national average. 

Since 2019, the Heart of the South West Skills Advisory Panel (SAP) has brought a number of partners together to address skills challenges and to promote opportunities for working in unison to improve skills outcomes.

The recently published 2022/2024 report commits the partners to work together around three headline skills and training objectives within the Heart of the South West, which lead to every individual and business being able to access the skills that they need to thrive. The three objectives set out in the report are:

1. Ensuring that our skills and training environment is responsive and forward facing, meeting business and individual needs.
2. Ensuring that every individual can access the skills and training they need to achieve their own potential.
3. Ensuring that all skills and training investment and activity contributes to both improving our shared prosperity and collective productivity.

Vince Flower, Chair of the Heart of the South West Skills Advisory Panel, said: “The Local Skills Report is an ambitious plan to create an environment of inclusive growth and prosperity for the Heart of the South West. By working together, partners will improve the capacity of our education and learning, businesses and individuals will raise prosperity; creating an environment in which skills and training opportunities are more accessible, more tailored to individual and business needs, and lead to better outcomes for more people.”

These objectives will be met through a range of projects including through the work of the Heart of the South West Careers Hub, the Digital Skills Partnership, and through working closely with local partners and the Department for Education.

Karl Tucker, Chair of the Heart of the South West LEP, said: “It is our aim that every individual in the Heart of the South West should be able to access the skills they need to thrive in a productive job they value. Developing skills and access will also ultimately support businesses, inclusion, and growth across the region. The Local Skills Report identifies areas of strength and weakness for the Heart of the South West, and informs opportunities for improved access to skills for individuals and businesses. The report is an important and an exciting step forward in supporting the South West’s Levelling Up agenda.”

For more information on the Heart of the South West LEP visit: https://heartofswlep.co.uk/   

To read the Local Skills Report visit: https://skillslaunchpad.org.uk/skills-strategy/