Green light for employer-focused initiative aiming to bridge skills gaps in Solent’s labour market

Hampshire Chamber of Commerce will be at the forefront of a new plan to better tailor workplace skills training to the needs of Solent employers.

Government ministers have approved a three-to-five roadmap which sees the group working alongside firms, education providers, policymakers, charities and the public sector.

Their Solent Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) is set to introduce measures including a proactive awareness campaign for employers, an alignment of skills brokerage services and a new panel of sector champions to help learners find career pathways.

It’s a cross-sector project building upon the Solent’s traditional strengths – including marine, maritime and engineering – as well as shoring up those industries facing recruitment and skills pressures, such as hospitality, health and social care, and logistics.

Ross McNally, Chief Executive of Hampshire Chamber, said: “The LSIP is deliberately employer-focused to ensure that skills training works better for Solent businesses of all sizes and sectors.

“A key aspiration is to promote a shift in thinking and highlight the importance of skills development as an early, fundamental part of good business planning.

“We’ll work with further and higher education providers to identify how we can co-locate more industry and training facilities, bringing work experience and training opportunities closer together.

“And we’ll work with businesses and other stakeholders on a dedicated programme of employer engagement featuring events, briefings, roundtables and marketing campaigns.”

Between an employer survey, engagement workshops and a stakeholder summit, the research behind the new roadmap identified ‘considerable untapped potential’ in the Solent’s labour market.

The LSIP is aiming to involve more young people not already in education, employment or training, as well as those with special educational needs and disabilities.

Programme Director Claire Froggatt added: “Our research indicates there is strength in diversity.

“Increased diversity within the labour market has the potential to result in greater wellbeing, greater productivity benefits and, subsequently, economic growth.”

“For many employers the biggest single challenge is the size of the labour market itself, with competition for the pool of learners on which they can draw.

“To help overcome these factors, we want our region to be ready to make the most of future opportunities, including those opened up by the development of Solent Freeport.

“At the same time, we need to manage the transition prompted by evolving technology including in the shift towards the green economy.

“Now that the LSIP has been approved, we can move ahead to deliver it through effective collaboration among employers, firms, business support organisations, education providers and local authorities.”

Hampshire Chamber will act as lead body for the Solent LSIP, while also collaborating with neighbouring Surrey Chamber on a similar plan for North Hampshire and Surrey.

• hampshirechamber.co.uk