Local Skills Improvement Plan Update from Suzanne Caldwell
The latest on the Chamber’s LSIP work and other skills-focused initiatives.
Over the past few months, Cumbria Chamber and partners have been busy engaging with businesses, training providers and other stakeholders. Here are a few headlines on recent activity:
- Engagement Manager Kevin Warman attended Lakes College’s Construction Skills Summit, held in partnership with Flannery. The event looked into various solutions to skills challenges faced by the construction industry.
- The Chamber has undertaken research – including surveys and focus groups with businesses – as part of tracking and monitoring progress relating to skills challenges.
- Working with Furness College, the Chamber organised a roundtable meeting which gave fifteen businesses the opportunity to input on the college’s skills bootcamps.
- The Chamber organised a visit to HMP Haverigg with local businesses for a tour of the facilities at the prison and a talk on employing prison leavers as well as those on release on temporary licence (ROTL), and continues to be an active member of the prison’s Employment Advisory Board.
- Students from local six form colleges – accompanied by their teachers – were invited to attend the Chamber’s regular Business Bites networking events to speak with local employers.
- The Chamber held an information day for businesses to find out more about the Armed Forces Covenant. The day featured a series of talks on the wealth of skills possessed by veterans and how businesses can recruit them. After the success of this event, the Chamber is now planning a CV and interview techniques workshop aimed at veterans.
- Work continues as a partner in establishing the Land and Nature Skills Service, a new service connecting people with learning and training opportunities relevant to land- and nature-based work Cumbria.
- Chamber staff attended multiple careers and skills fairs across the county including John Stevenson’s Skills Fair at Carlisle College.
- Cumbria Tourism have been continuing to work actively with the visitor economy on skills and employment issues and opportunities.
Here’s some of what you can expect from Cumbria LSIP over the coming weeks…
- Following a successful visit in October, the Chamber was approached by the Department for Education to hold a virtual visit for the Permanent Secretary to hear about Cumbria LSIP and work underway to combat skills challenges in Cumbria. This will be taking place in April, including presentations by a number of stakeholders.
- The LANSS Manager is starting with us shortly, followed by appointment of the rest of the LANSS team, and appointment of consultants to develop the LANSS website and branding.
- We’re organising a careers day with University of Cumbria, giving local businesses the chance to talk about careers available for international students when they complete their studies. We’re also looking to organise networking for international students to meet with local businesses.
- Chamber staff are working in collaboration with partners on employer-led development of an advanced manufacturing apprenticeship pathway.
- Work is continuing on our behalf by specialist consultancy Think, looking at challenges around recruitment and skills in West Cumbria, in particular in the energy sector, and potential solutions.
- In May we’ll be running an event focussing on the construction sector in partnership with the CITB.
- We’ll be continuing to support actively the Barrow Task Force and Furness SME Roundtable.