We’re now tasked with producing a new 3 year Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) for Cumbria, covering 2026 – 2029, while continuing to deliver the current one.
It’s clear that the LSIP to date has had real, positive and significant impacts for businesses and learners in the county, so we’re obviously keen for this to continue. This can only be achieved by businesses, providers and other stakeholders getting genuinely involved so please do that.
We’ll continue to operate on the basis of including people at the outset and agreeing the way forward, then keeping people informed and engaged, so there shouldn’t be last minute surprises when the plan is shared.
This article updates you on what we’ve been asked to do in the new LSIP, how we plan to do it and how you can contribute.
Requirements in the new guidance
There are some particular requirements in the new guidance as follows:
- It requires us to take account of the priorities and issue of the local authorities in addition to those of employers. They are looking for employers, local authorities and other stakeholders to be actively engaging in improving skills provision and take-up.
In practice this will have little impact here in Cumbria as we’ve already been operating that way for the current LSIP. The local authorities, and other stakeholders, have already been engaged in Cumbria’s LSIP, including as part of the Steering Group, and we’ve sought to work throughout in genuine partnership on a collaborative basis.
As we’re a fast-track devo area there is no requirement for Cumbria to include a Strategic Authority in any governance arrangements (and indeed we don’t yet have one). However we have chosen to share plans, progress and the draft report with the Councils’ Joint Executive Committee and with the Enterprising Cumbria Growth Board for comment, alongside the LSIP Steering and Employer Representative Body (ERB) Groups and Chamber Board.
- Another change is inclusion of higher level skills up to Level 8, with enhanced inclusion of HE.
The University of Cumbria has joined the LSIP Steering Group to support this.
- We’ve also been asked to be cognisant of and work with other national and local work including, for example, the Industrial Strategy, Skills England planned local skills needs assessments, Local Growth Plan and other local economic plans and the Get Cumbria Working Plan.
Given the linkage of the existing Steering and ERB Groups into Cumbria Strategic Partners, the Growth Board, Get Cumbria Working Work & Health Board, Barrow Rising, etc. we’re well placed for this, but will be reviewing to make sure we are appropriately engaged with the various groups and documents.
- The guidance also asks specifically that we take account of Clean Power 30, net zero and the Clean Energy Workforce Strategy.
Clean energy and green skills feature in the current LSIP and we’ll be reviewing activities, plans and engagement to make sure we do this effectively in the new one.
- Last but not least the guidance requires us to give full consideration to equality of opportunity, recognising the benefits both for the individual and broader economy.
Again this has featured in the current LSIP but we’ll be reviewing activities, plans and engagement as above.
The guidance also looks for us to
- Improve the skills offer, including those actions that Higher and Further Education providers will take to ensure that their education and training offer is relevant to the skill needs of the area and will help enhance workforce skills and drive economic growth.
- Simplify access to skills, including to raise awareness of the existing skills offer, to improve flexibility and availability of provision, and to help employers and learners understand the pathways and standards available for people to upskill.
- Drive greater employer involvement and investment in skills, including actions that mobilise employers, providers and other partners in co-creating solutions to local skills needs.
- Support join up with other parts of the local skills system, including actions aimed at ensuring Jobcentre Plus and Careers service functions reflect and support the aims of the LSIP.
Content
We’ve been given flexibility to develop the LSIP in a way that has maximum impact for Cumbria, but there are some core elements which all plans are expected to contain. These include:
- An overview of the economic challenges and opportunities faced by the area, and the skills, capabilities and expertise that are needed by employers in key sectors set out by Strategic Authorities and other local plans, as well as other sectors that may go beyond these which are critical to employers in the area. This should include details of existing skills provision and where there are gaps.
- Details of how partners have and will continue to be engaged, including how they will help to implement the actions and review progress. This should include higher and further education providers, a wide range of employers and industries, and wider system stakeholders.
- A clear and focused set of local agreed changes/actions aimed at addressing the skills needs, together with details of how they will be measured. It should set out in an annex a list of specific activities. These activities can be further iterated and updated as appropriate during the 3-year period.
Steering and ERB Groups
As a reminder, the LSIP Steering Group is currently made up of a representative of each of Chamber, Cumberland Council, Cumbria Careers Hub/Enterprising Cumbria, Cumbria Economic Observatory, employer representative, LSIF lead, LSIP ERB Group, University of Cumbria, Westmorland & Furness Council, Work Based Learning Provider Forum.
Alongside this sits an Employer Representative Body Group, which is made up of a representative of each of Chamber, BECBC, CBI, CITB, Cumbria Tourism, ECITB, Farmer Network, FSB, LANSS, NFU.
We are reviewing membership of both of these.
LSIP priorities
We’re reviewing the sectors and cross cutting themes prioritised in the current report to check if these are still the best fit for producing the new report.
Current sectors are construction, energy/low carbon land-based, manufacturing & engineering (including food & drink), social care and the visitor economy.
Current priorities are recruitment; basic & functional skills; employability skills; apprenticeships; engagement with providers and finding the right training; curriculum development & fitness for purpose; ICT, digital and data; leadership & management and business; cost of training; low carbon, net zero and energy transition; energy – a growth sector; future skills and what the future looks like.
While priorities for the next LSIP are under discussion, we do expect to see a more prominent role for AI/robotics/digital.
Your views on priorities are welcome – please email Joe Stephenson, joe@cumbriachamber.co.uk.
Timescale
An early draft is to be submitted by the end of March 26, with the final version May 26 for publication in June.
Copies of reports and updates
You can read the current LSIP and latest Progress Report here Local Skills Improvement Plan – Cumbria Chamber of Commerce.
Getting involved
On the same page, Local Skills Improvement Plan – Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, you’ll see updates on opportunities to get involved. At the moment you can do so through:
- Participating in a focus group
- Completing the current survey add link
- Emailing Joe Stephenson, LSIP Facilitator, joe@cumbriachamber.co.uk, with any views and suggestions
- Speaking with Kev Warman, Senior LSIP Engagement Manager, when he’s out and about
- Engaging with our specialist delivery partners, leading on some sectors – CITB (construction), Cumbria Tourism (visitor economy) and LANSS (land-based).
There will be more opportunities to get involved through events, further research and more, and we’ll update on those as they arise.
Getting in touch
To be in touch contact:
- Joe Stephenson, LSIP Facilitator, joe@cumbriachamber.co.uk
- Kev Warman, Senior LSIP Engagement Manager, kevin@cumbriachamber.co.uk
Many thanks for your continuing involvement.
