Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce
help people get good jobs and enhance their prospects (win-win!) We’re working with many diff erent establishments
that deliver post-16 technical education - FE colleges, sixth form colleges, higher education institutions, independent training providers, and other designated institutions – as well as with employers and other stakeholders such as enterprise partnerships and local authorities.
How does LSIP engage with local businesses and employers? The first stage in the process is detailed research – including online surveys, employer-focused and group round table events, telephone calls and one-to-one meetings – to capture businesses’ views on the most urgent skills and opportunities for improvement. T is is now under way. T e LSIP will then follow a clear, three-stage process, comprising: - Articulating employers’ skills needs. What are the skills employers need locally, but struggle to fi nd? T ese could be technical, academic, or manual in nature, but could also cover ‘softer’ skills like negotiation, commu- nication, customer service, and so on. We will place spe- cial emphasis on businesses who struggle most to get their voices heard by education and training providers. - Translating employer needs into changes in provision. How can these needs best be met by providers in more responsive ways? New modules, or new courses? Changes in what is taught, or how it is taught? How can accessibility, fl exibility, refresher training and upskilling attract and benefi t a diverse range of employees?
- Addressing learner demand and employer engage- ment. What can local stakeholders and employers do to raise demand for, and make better use of, skills, particu- larly when they are new or nascent (e.g. sustainability, digitalisation, net zero, etc.) but becoming critical?
What are the LSIP’s outputs and outcomes? T e output of the LSIP will take the form of a strategic but concise document – no more than 30 pages in total – setting out the priority changes and time scales needed to make post-16 technical education and train- ing more responsive to the skills needs in our region. But if the only outcome of this project is a 30-page
document, we’ll be more disappointed than anyone – which is why it’s crucial to understand that it will be much more than this. In fact, it will be a solid plan for action that can only be published when it has been scrutinised and approved by the Secretary of State. T is means institutions at both Government and
education level have a formal commitment to work to, which will in turn help to drive funded change more rapidly and more measurably. T e passion is certainly all there; we’re feeling it
from many local stakeholders – businesses, educa- tional institutions and councils alike.
Giving your business a voice at the top table T e skills agenda is critical, but of course it’s not the only issue local businesses need to be able to bring to the attention of the top table of local and even central Government, now and in the future. So, whilst we have included both member and
non-member businesses in the LSIP surveys and research, your business can help ensure its voice is heard at Government level across many other issues throughout the year by joining the Chamber. We have a presence on a range of committees and
groups that infl uence policy decisions on local issues including growth strategy and infrastructure. We are also present on a number of panels and committees across the Eastern Region, enabling us to represent you regionally as well as locally. In turn, we are connected to the British Chambers
of Commerce, an infl uential organisation that has the ear of Government and works hard to represent local businesses’ interests there. Turning the skills shortage around is urgent. Positioning your business to be heard in the future could be existential.
If you are interested in registering your interest for the Local Skills Improvement Plan visit
www.chamber-business.com/lsip
For more information on how Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce enables its SME members to influence policy and deliver change for a better business environment, visit
www.chamber-business.com, or call 01582 522448
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RECRUITMENT & TRAINING
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