 |  | |
|
|
| |
|
A WORD FROM MARK HILTON, POLICY DELIVERY DIRECTOR:
We’re pleased to be bringing you our second edition of the London Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) Newsletter. As many of you will already know, the London LSIP is being led by BusinessLDN alongside a range of partners across London and aims to shift the dial on skills in the capital across priority business sectors and key cross cutting themes including green and digital skills.
|
|
|
|
|
Since our last edition in February, the team has been working hard to engage employers, providers, and key stakeholders at the pan-London level through dedicated LSIP events on Transferable and Health and Social Care skills, continuing to amplify the LSIP at external events, and monitoring early progress as we look to capture the impact of the LSIP in its first year. Much activity is taking place in each of London’s four sub regions, too, as we set out below.
We’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions on what you’d like us to include in future editions of the newsletter. Please do contact the team at skills@businessldn.co.uk if you have any content you would like to submit.
|
|
|
|
|
IMPACT OF THE LSIP: MAY 2024
Every edition, this section of the newsletter will highlight the positive impact the LSIP is having across the capital in transforming the skills system, meeting employer’s needs, and providing opportunity to people.
BusinessLDN are working closely with our partner, the GLA, to implement the LSIP Roadmap, which seeks to address longstanding challenges in the capital’s skills system and deliver the priority skills needs. Over the last few months they have responded to the LSIP in several ways, including launching an interactive map to help learners and employers better locate their nearest college or learning provider, and find out more about the courses and training they offer.
Furthermore, the GLA is leading a pilot called Early Connect with the Department for Education and UCAS to support more young people aged 17-18 into apprenticeships and make it easier for employers to find apprentices.
They are currently using UK Shared Prosperity Funding to fund quality work experience placements for 4,500 students aged 16-19 at risk of not being in education, employment or training (NEET) by March 2025, supported by at least 200 London based SMEs.
Finally, London & Partners has set up Grow London Local, a platform designed to help SMEs access a range of business support and advice, including relevant skills and training programmes. This includes a skills brokerage pilot for the next two years, supported by GLA funding. Throughout our LSIP research we heard how difficult it can be for employers to navigate London’s complex skills system; this new service should be a great help.
|
|
|
| | | |
|
In late January, BusinessLDN hosted a webinar on transferable skills. In “How can London Lead a Transferable Skills Revolution”, we heard from Skills Builder Partnership, Lloyds Banking Group, Greater London Authority, Ascentis, and City Lit.
Tom Ravenscroft, Founder & CEO of Skills Builder Partnership, gave his thoughts about the importance of transferrable skills after the event. A recording of the session is available here.
|
|
|
| | |
|
In March, BusinessLDN convened NHS Trusts, employers, training providers and sector bodies to discuss tackling skills shortages across the health and social care sectors.
Attendees heard from Kings Health Partners, NHS England, West Thames College, and Skills for Care. Read the thoughts of BusinessLDN’s Edward Richardson, Programme Director, People & Skills on the event below.
|
|
|
| | |
|
Edward Richardson, Programme Director for People & Skills, BusinessLDN chaired a panel session on future-proofing the aviation sector’s talent pipeline in the capital at the London Labour Conference 2024. The session focused on green skills, the importance of employer-provider partnerships, and the skills needed to drive the transition to net-zero.
He was joined on the panel by Shadow Minister for Skills Seema Malhotra, Joe Chapman, Group Head of Public Affairs, Manchester Airports Group, Karen Spencer, Principal, Harlow College, and Andrew Daines, Technical Standards Manager, Ryanair.
|
|
|
| | |
|
BusinessLDN’s survey of over 1,200 London’s business leaders and HR managers by Survation found that firms across the capital are set to increase their investment in training this year as they face significant skills gaps within the capital’s workforce, with many still struggling to recruit despite some signs of a loosening labour market.
Among key findings of the poll, conducted in February 2024, the vast majority of firms (80%) have open job vacancies (up 77% last year) compared to around a fifth (19%) who report having no vacancies (down from 21% in 2023). The survey also evidenced 63% of respondents were aware of the LSIP and its impact.
|
|
|
| |
|
GET INVOLVED
The London LSIP is vital in the continuing evolution of London’s skills landscape for individuals, education providers, and employers. We are keen to involve as many stakeholders as possible through events and our media and communications channels. If you are interested, click the button below.
|
|
|
| |
|
LOCAL SKILLS PULSE: SUB-REGIONAL PARTNER UPDATES
Local London have launched workshops for employers and sector representatives to continue conversations around skills gaps, hosting an event on Health and Social Care on 4th March, with upcoming events in Construction & Engineering, Digital & Creative, Manufacturing, and Distribution & Logistics.
Kicking off with a focus on social care, key stakeholders were invited to discuss Local London’s programmes, social care provision and initiatives. Next in the series was a meeting with Chambers of Commerce on 27th March to explore how to engage members in skills initiatives. Contact Cathy Back for more information or to get involved.
West London Alliance’s work continues. In March nearly 200 Further Education students were given the opportunity to explore job opportunities in the digital sector at a ‘Getting into Tech’ event.
For budding creative talent the West London Film Competition, run by the West London Film and Television Skills Hub, is providing much needed work experience. In March, West London Alliance held roundtable events bringing together employers and Further Education providers have been held for the priority sectors of Health and Social Care, Logistics and Food and Drink Manufacturing; each session allowed effective dialogue to develop and strong collaborative networks to grow. Contact Anna Gration to get involved or subscribe to the West London Skills Bulletin.
South London Partnership have, with a focus on Construction and Green skills, set up the collaborative South London Retrofit Taskforce to shape their Retrofit Skills Action Plan and delivery of project pilots. Additionally, of the Retrofit Skills Centre website– a ‘one-stop shop’ of information on training pathways and qualifications to capitalise on the £17bn South London retrofit opportunity.
In Health and Care, South London Partnership recently hosted the launch of 12 new programmes, funded by the South West London Integrated Care Partnership, specifically designed to attract and recruit people into the sector. Additionally, they continue to offer their Inclusive Employment webinar series to promote workforce diversity and inclusion across all sectors.
Contact Kirsty Hogg to get involved.
Supported by Central London Forward, WorkWhile is helping employer create high-quality apprenticeship opportunities for disadvantaged Londoners.
If you’re an SME that needs to boost your organisation’s digital marketing skills, you are invited to attend WorkWhile’s latest webinar to find out how an apprentice could fill that skills gap and how you can get funding for the training as well as free support and line manager training. Taking place 10am Thursday 16th May, register here or contact Rob.Singh@ippr.org for more details. Contact Jenny Gulliford to get involved.
|
|
|
| |
|
SPOTLIGHT ON SKILLS AND TRAINING IN LONDON
This section of the newsletter provides stakeholders with an opportunity to highlight best practice in London – and can be used to showcase case studies from the LSIP report, blogs with updates from the case studies, etc.
|
|
|
| |
|
The Local London Skills Network comprises 23 FE providers, led by London South East Colleges and supported by Newham College. Using its Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF) funding, this partnership has started to deliver some exciting new green skills training facilities - including London’s first fully-funded windfarm operations training centre, which is now operational at Capital City College Group's Enfield campus. Additionally, the funding is being used to install a new digital network, which will connect up to 30 training sites across the London boroughs. Read more here.
|
|
|
| | |
|
City Lit have been awarded an expansion from the Greater London Authority to their grant to deliver the Free Courses for Jobs scheme for courses in health and social care, digital, and contextualised Awards in Education & Training to qualify British Sign Language (BSL) tutors. This expansion aims to allow learners to gain skills that employers value, improve job prospects, earn a higher wage, and address the shortage of BSL tutors. Read more here.
|
|
|
| | |
|
The Greater London Authority have been allocated £38.1 million of London’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to be used towards the Mayor’s People and Skills investment priority. The aim is to support 5,000 young people at risk of being not in education, employment, or training. It is hoped that this will support local growth by helping to reduce the barriers some people face to employment – supporting them to move towards employment and education. Read more here.
|
|
|
| |
|
Opportunity: Creating Inclusive Workplaces in West London – West London Alliance have launched a network of support for West London small and medium enterprises. The community links like-minded employers to share best practice, provides opportunities to connect with local talent, offers resources and toolkits, expert support, and access to webinars/events. Sign up here.
|
|
|
| |
|
THE LOCAL SKILLS IMPROVEMENT FUND
The Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF) is designed to enable further education providers across the capital’s four sub-regional partnership areas to respond collectively to the priorities in the LSIPs. Find out more below:
|
|
|
| | |
|
|
| |
| | |
|
