Work implementing actions to support Cumbria’s Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) are continuing well, so much so that it’s genuinely become part of the fabric of activity by the range of Cumbrian stakeholders.
Here’s a flavour of progress in recent months.
CITB recently launched Lancashire & Cumbria Employer Network, supporting them to look at specific challenges in each of those areas and how funding should be used locally. As well as funding towards training they’ll arrange and book training for employers. The Steering Group for this network includes employers and a number of stakeholders, including Suzanne from Cumbria Chamber.
Nationally CITB have launched a Net Zero Toolkit, with useful resources and information on grants and funds for employers, which is useful wider than construction. You can access the toolkit here.
ECITB have been piloting a Work Ready Programme, supporting unemployed people in West Cumbria into guaranteed roles in the nuclear supply chain if they complete the programme successfully. They’re aiming to run further cohorts in the new year.
We’re also anticipating pilots in the new year as part of the National Nuclear Skills Plan, with two of it’s five key clusters in Cumbria. These pilots will support the FE sectors – colleges and independent providers.
The Land & Nature Skills Service (LANSS) was formally launched in September and is working well, promoting careers and learning, identifying gaps and working with providers to seek to address those gaps. You can explore the LANSS website here.
Cumbria Tourism ran a tremendous event last month focused on future technology, trends and opportunities in the visitor economy sector. It was very thought provoking and will help businesses in the sector think more meaningfully about future skills needs. You can see more about this event here.
Working with the colleges around the county Cumbria Tourism have also now completed a series of roundtables with businesses over the past year. These are bearing real fruit. One outcome of the first one, with Carlisle College was a Travel & Tourism course, which is now running with good take-up. They’re also proving really useful in strengthening ongoing relationships between businesses and providers.
Cumbria Tourism are also delivering a number of Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) projects which have come out of LSIP requirements.
Various LSIP partners are heavily involved in the Team Barrow work as part of the Education, Employment & Skills Taskforce. You can read more about Team Barrow here.
Elsewhere in the county, following completion of research into skills and employment challenges in Cumberland, focussed around manufacturing and construction, we’ve set up a Steering Group in partnership with Cumberland Council, involving a range of stakeholders, to drive forward actions to address the challenges and take advantage of opportunities. The group has had it’s first meeting and is meeting again in January to agree priorities and initial actions.
Cumberland Council awarded the Chamber some short-term SPF funding for implementation of projects to support the LSIP. The funding is supporting a mix of projects deliverable within the timescale, including three land-based, one cross-sector green driving (across sectors) and two more general, supporting people with sector specific and employability skills.
Please do continue to engage actively in LSIP opportunities and research. It’s through us all working together that the LSIP is making a real difference to Cumbrian businesses and people!
