A new report – published by Cumbria Chamber of Commerce – has detailed the significant progress made on tackling skills challenges by the partners involved in the Cumbria Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP).
The report tracks progress since the publication of Cumbria’s LSIP in August 2023, which gathered evidence from hundreds of employers countywide, employer bodies, providers and other stakeholders.
The LSIP extensively documented the multitude of skills challenges faced by Cumbrian businesses and identified key priorities for reform across areas including recruitment, basic and functional skills, employee behaviours and emotional intelligence, apprenticeships, accessing training, curriculum development as well as other challenges specific to individual sectors and professions.
The newly published LSIP Progress Report outlines the significant progress made at addressing these issues over the past year. Initiatives outlined in the report include, but are not limited to:
- The Employability Skills Programme Working Group, established by Cumbria Careers Hub, which is aimed at addressing the issue of employee behaviours and emotional intelligence.
- The first Cumbria Careers Day, aimed at promoting opportunities in the county, was held in March 2024, involving over 100 stakeholders.
- Work is underway on the Land & Nature Skills Service (LANSS) , a new service aimed at facilitating access to training and careers in the land and nature-based sectors. The LANSS is hosted by the University of Cumbria with Cumbria Chamber as the accountable body. The full LANSS team is in place and the service will formally launch in September 2024.
- Alongside this, Myerscough College, based in Lancashire, is expanding its presence in Cumbria to fill educational gaps left by the closure of Newton Rigg.
- An employer-led initiative, supported by the University of Cumbria, is piloting an advanced manufacturing apprenticeship pathway.
- Events and communications aimed at increasing awareness of wider employee pools through initiatives including the Armed Forces Covenant, Disability Confident and employing ex-offenders.
- A £2.5m Local Skills Investment Fund (LSIF) programme is being implemented, led by Lakes College, in partnership with Carlisle, Furness, Gen 2, Kendal, NR Training, SP Training and the University of Cumbria. The focus is on low carbon and green skills in energy, construction, logistics and land based; catering and hospitality; and digital skills.
The results of the 2024 LSIP monitoring survey – also outlined in the report – show the positive impact of this work on several key metrics. For example, usage of Bootcamps increased from 5% to 9% and 76% of employers reported no issues with basic skills (up from 71% last year).
Finally, the report highlights what still needs to be achieved in relation to solving Cumbria’s skills challenges. The coming year will see significant progress in the land and nature-based sector with the formal launch of the LANSS; the completion of capital projects funded by LSIF and well as new research into the recruitment challenges faced by the engineering and construction sector in Cumberland.
The full progress report is available to download via this link: https://www.cumbriachamber.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/LSIP-Progress-Report-Cumbria-June-2024-FINAL.pdf
Managing Director of Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Caldwell said:
“This report clearly shows the significant level of progress made since last year’s LSIP documented the many skills challenges faced by businesses in the county. It’s inspiring that local businesses, ERBs, skills providers and other stakeholders have pulled together to address issues collaboratively. With so much going on, I am confident that we can continue to shift the dial and hope that others will be encouraged to get involved.
The Minister for Skills, The Rt Hon Baroness Smith of Malvern said:
“I welcome the publication of the Local Skills Improvement Plan Progress Report for Cumbria. 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.”
