LSIP Progress Reports published (2024)

A year of collaboration on future skills development and business engagement across West and North Yorkshire is now fully underway, thanks to the actions set in motion by the Government’s Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs).

Designed to align the needs of local employers with the education and training provided by colleges and learning providers, LSIPs are beginning to make significant progress.

West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce is delivering on both LSIP’s, with the West Yorkshire plan being delivered in conjunction with Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, who have this week published reports showing the progress that is being made across both geographies, ensuring businesses and their current and future needs are at the heart of local delivery .

The reports show that employers are developing a better understanding of their skills needs, overcoming barriers to accessing suitable provision and becoming more actively involved in influencing curriculum development, as well as being more proactive in planning and investing their workforce development activities over a longer period.

The reports further demonstrate how learning providers too are increasingly aligning and developing their teaching and training to respond to identified needs, as well as collaborating amongst each other to jointly address curriculum areas that are niche and may not be feasible for a single organisation.

There are also increasing examples where demand is significant in several areas and may benefit from each organisation taking a specialism to ensure provision is available locally.

Martin Hathaway, managing director of Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “These reports reflect two years of collaboration, hard work and shared expertise, all of which is now delivering on the ground for both businesses and learning providers.

“It is fantastic to see the reports lay out in black and white how all of our partner organisations are working together to identify and address skills gaps across the region.

“LSIPs are working, as has been evidenced both regionally and nationally.

“The evolution of skill requirements in our country is moving at fast pace but the collaborations formed as part of the LSIP programmes are well-placed to deal with these developments.”

Minister for Skills, The Rt Hon Baroness Smith of Malvern, said: “I welcome the publication of the Local Skills Improvement Plan Progress Report for West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire.

“These reports set out progress made on meeting the skills needs of local employers. As well as being a valuable source of information for local skills deliverers, employers and stakeholders, the reports along with the LSIPs themselves, will provide important intelligence for the newly established Skills England.” 

In developing the LSIP plans, several key sectors were identified to be focused upon.

For West Yorkshire, these were health and social care, engineering and advanced manufacturing, financial and professional services, low carbon, digital and technology, creative industries, education, construction and logistics.

Meanwhile for North Yorkshire, the themes identified were digital and technology, agri-skills, engineering and advanced manufacturing (including rail), construction, health and social care and the visitor economy.

Read the West Yorkshire LSIP Report 2024 here: https://wnychamber.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/DFE-APPROVED-WY-LSIP-Annual-Report-v2-EDIT.pdf

Read the York & North Yorkshire LSIP Report 2024 here: https://wnychamber.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/DFE-APPROVED-York-and-North-Yorkshire-LSIP-Annual-Report-EDIT.pdf

“I welcome the publication of the Local Skills Improvement Plan Progress Report for both West Yorkshire and York & North Yorkshire. These reports set out progress made on meeting the skills needs of local employers. As well as being a valuable source of information for local skills deliverers, employers and stakeholders, the reports along with the LSIPs themselves, will provide important intelligence for the newly established Skills England.” (The Minister for Skills, The Rt Hon Baroness Smith of Malvern)