Prosper Autumn, Black Country Chamber of Commerce magazine

BUSINESS IS DONE BETTER TOGETHER: SKILLS IMPROVEMENT PLAN
Chambers to lead on implementing
skills improvement plan
Businesses in the West Midlands are
being placed at the heart of skills provision
in the region in what is being described as
a “game-changing shift” to help solve the
skills crisis.
The Black Country Chamber of
Commerce, Coventry and Warwickshire
Chamber of Commerce and the Greater
Birmingham Chamber of Commerce have
been selected by the Department for
Education to lead on the region’s Local
Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP).
LSIPs have been designed by
Government to put employers at the centre
of the skills system in their region and to
build a stronger, more dynamic partnership
between employers and further education
providers. It will mean skills provision can
be more responsive to the local labour
market needs.
The Chambers across the West Midlands
will now carry out a detailed research
exercise – including online surveys,
roundtable events, telephone calls and
one-to-one meetings with employers.
Crucially, that research will go beyond
Chamber membership and will include
businesses affiliated to other representative
organisations in the region as well as
companies that are not members of a
business body.
It will result in a report that identifies the
true needs of employers in the region and
will set out a plan to work with education
and skills providers to help deliver
provision that businesses require.
That report will remain ‘live’ so that
shifting needs are identified and addressed.
Neil Anderson, Director of External
Affairs of the Black Country Chamber of
Commerce, told Prosper:“This is a hugely
positive and significant opportunity for the
West Midlands. For too many years,
leading local firms have repeatedly
emphasised a disconnect between skills
policy and the needs of businesses.
“Building on the strength of the
Chambers as connectors at the forefront of
business sentiment, the research will
provide powerful evidence for partners and
decisionmakers to ensure that businesses
acquire talent with the right skills and build
collaborations to power the region’s
economy.”
Former Black Country Chamber CEO,
now heading up Coventry and
Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce,
Corin Crane said: “This is a game-changing
shift in the way we look at the skills need of
the economy as it will put employers in the
region at the centre of what is required and
what is delivered.
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This is a hugely positive and significant
opportunity for the West Midlands ... it will
ensure businesses acquire talent with the right
skills and power the regional economy...
Neil Anderson
“That provision has previously been
decided by Whitehall, but Government
recognises that employers know what is
needed and, through the Local Skills
Improvement Plan, Chambers across the
West Midlands will be diligently gathering
the information and then presenting a
report.
“It’s vital that the report isn’t a static,
one-off piece of work. It will remain live
because everyone in business knows the
skills need evolves and can change quickly.
The plan must be able to respond to that.”
22 PROSPER AUTUMN 2022
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