Greater Manchester Local Skills Improvement Plan 

Putting Employers at the Heart of the Skills System

In January 2021, the Department for Education (DfE) published the Skills for Jobs White Paper, which set out an ambitious employer-led approach aimed at making the provision of Further Education more responsive to local skills needs and ultimately local economic needs.

To underpin this, new laws were passed in April 2022 through the Skills and Post-16 Education Act to transform the skills and training landscape by embedding employers at the heart of the skills system. It is now a legal requirement for colleges and other providers to work with employers to ensure that training meets the needs of local areas.

To help articulate the views of employers and map out how skills providers can meet their needs, earlier this year, DfE introduced Local Skills Improvement Plans. The aim of the plans is to outline the main problems that employers face in finding the skilled people they need, and, crucially, how skills provision can bridge those skills gaps.

We are pleased to announce that the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) for Greater Manchester is now underway!

The first stage in producing the LSIP involves data gathering on a huge scale. A survey has been launched in order to find out how many companies have had recruitment difficulties, how many are suffering from labour shortages, and which skills gaps businesses are struggling to fill.

This is the largest skills and recruitment survey of its kind and is open to all businesses – large and small – all sectors, and all areas of Greater Manchester.

So, if you have a few minutes to spare, please complete the survey here.

All responses will be used to paint a picture of where the skills gaps are in Greater Manchester and which gaps need filling most urgently. Then, working with skills providers, a set of actionable priorities will address the skills shortfalls, outline the changes required to help individuals develop those skills, and, ultimately, provide businesses with the workforce they need to succeed and prosper.

At a time when some businesses are cutting back, not investing in skills, struggling with supply chain delays and a range of other rising costs, planning for the future is key. In completing the survey now, businesses are helping to build their workforce for the future.

For any enquiries relating to the GM Local Skills Improvement Plan, email [email protected].