Our priorities are:

Making sure our future workforce has the opportunity to fulfil their potential

• Drawing on the potential of those who are not currently working, including those furthest from employment
• Preparing, and retaining, local young people through jobs, education and work-based learning
• Apprenticeships that match our business needs
• Ensuring further education takes account of local employers’ needs
• Developing opportunities to attract and retain graduates
• Creative ways to encourage and keep people learning

Making sure our current workforce has the skills that employers need, now and in the future

• Ensuring training providers understand the skills employers need
• Tackling basic skills deficits
• Train to Gain and The Skills Pledge maximised
• Leadership and management training opportunities
• Supporting career progression through creative workforce development
• Developing an enterprise culture

Making sure our employers have a voice

• Working through the economic downturn and being ready for upturn
• Making sure businesses know where to find funding and support
• Focussing attention on regeneration investment
• Working through existing employer networks
• Creating simple routes for employers to influence those who set priorities and targets for local investment

See our approach to tackling these priorities.