I’m delighted that Cumbria LEP is playing an increasingly active role in the provision of skills development and training opportunities for the county, in particular by helping to align skills provision with the needs of employers, young people, the current workforce and those not currently in employment.

The partnership has already produced a Skills Investment Plan in collaboration with employers, business organisations and the county’s network of colleges, universities and other education and training providers. Key targets include increasing apprenticeships within the county from 5,000 to 6,000 per year, increasing the number of

working age

people with HND level qualifications by 9,000, and increasing the number of people in employment by at least 6,000 by 2020.

The plan has also been designed to improve skill levels, increase the county’s workforce and assist employers, with skills priorities structured into four themes informed by labour market information and direct input from employers and skills providers:

• Investing in Cumbria’s future workforce by helping young people with future skills, careers and enterprise advice and guidance.

• Tackling unemployment with targeted training provision to get people

into work.

• Skills development for the current workforce to meet the skills needs of employers.

• Raising advanced and higher level skills attainment.

Cumbria LEP wants businesses to be able to access and develop the skilled workforce they need and residents to be supported in their career progression with access to high-quality employment opportunities. Employer panels have been established to identify and articulate the skills and workforce development needs affecting key sectors in Cumbria.

In supporting local skills development, we also want to ensure that young

people in particular

have the key skills they need to have successful careers in the county. There is nothing more important than investing in the next generation to help them succeed.

So what does this mean in practice?

Cumbria LEP has already been applying funding to support various initiatives to improve the county’s skills offer, with beneficiaries such as Furness College, Newton Rigg College and the University of Cumbria all opening new facilities in recent months following investments in training for advanced manufacturing, STEM and agricultural disciplines. The European Social Funded (ESF) ‘Edge’ initiative provides training solutions up to Level 4 and supports apprenticeship recruitment to enable Cumbria’s economy to grow faster. It’s a key project in which Cumbria LEP is working closely with the further and higher education sector and Cumbria Business Growth Hub so that it complements existing services available to Cumbrian employers and their workforces. The skills support for SMEs in Cumbria is partly EU funded through the European Social Fund and Cumbria LEP is working with other LEPs to ensure that the Government makes appropriate alternative provision for this important support post Brexit.

I’m pleased at the progress we have made in linking many more local businesses with schools. Our Enterprise Advisor Network, supported by the Careers and Enterprise Company, provides dedicated support to schools from businesses, focusing on careers advice and individual mentoring for some students. I want to see this grow into supporting broader school improvement with input from business people. Our aim is to ensure that the county has a vibrant skills, education and training system that is responsive to both current and future economic needs and offers excellent learning environments and opportunities. Although we have made some good progress with our Skills Investment Plan, there is more to do in the coming months and years to boost skills, employment and participation in apprenticeships, strengthen links between industry and training providers and provide workforce development support and targeted training for sectors with skills gaps.