Strategic Objective 3: Employment and Skills
The LEP, through the Worcestershire Employment and Skills Board, is
committed to working with partners to strengthen current skills provision
and co-ordination to meet the private sector needs. The LEP and ESB
recognise that within the limited resources available, there will be clear
prioritisation of the areas for intervention.
The priority areas for the Employment and Skills Board are:
•
taking full advantage of the opportunities being promoted by Government,
such as apprenticeships, and the flexibilities required to ensure the delivery
of courses and qualifications that meet the business needs
•
working with the educational institutions and the wider business community
to encourage increased workforce development and high quality skills provision
•
supporting young people and increased youth employment
•
supporting particular geographic areas and groups to overcome disadvantage
and to improve opportunities
Employer leadership is critical. Businesses need to understand and appreciate
the value of skills investment by engaging with a process that will enable their
employees to make a better contribution to the success of their business.
The partners need to bring together activities and support to better assist
individuals to learn and progress in order to fully contribute in the workplace.
Therefore based on the Employment and Skills Board Strategy, the priorities
for the LEP are:
1)
Skills and Workforce Planning
Fundamentally important for the recovery from recession across the
county’s businesses will be for all to support improved skills and
workforce planning. There is agreement on the need to increase
Apprenticeship placements and take up, to develop graduate level
opportunities and to increase private sector skills investment.
2)
Strengthening the relationship between education and business
Joint working to support schools, HE/FE colleges and Universities in
preparing young people for the world of work, and to develop a range
of new links between education providers and the business community.
It is also recognised that high quality information, advice and guidance
with the changing organisational responsibilities will be essential to
better connect the worlds of work and study.
3)
Increasing employability
Youth employment is a top priority for Worcestershire in the light of the
high youth unemployment levels and the potential long term impacts
on young people. An essential element of the approach will be to
establish better mechanisms for identifying job opportunities and
facilitating local recruitment through supporting small businesses
to identify potential candidates.
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