27/09/13

New skills plan consultation led by Dorset

 

The Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is encouraging businesses to give their views on a new Skills Plan that will align all of Dorset’s post 16 education organisations to deliver against a common agenda.

The ground breaking Plan, which will cover 2014 to 2016, will be developed in collaboration with the Dorset LEP, colleges, universities, other skills providers, local authorities and employers. Sessions for employers have been organised for Thursday 26 September, 5.00pm, and Friday 27September, 8.45am and 2.00pm, at the Borough of Poole Civic Centre. 

Once complete the Plan will drive the Dorset LEP Education and Skills strategy, with a budget running to £10m each year from the EU SIF and the LEP Single Local Growth Fund, driving innovative local education projects and solutions for Dorset’s prosperity.

Ekosgen have been appointed to prepare the Skills Plan for the Dorset LEP, led by the recently re-launched Dorset Employment & Skills Board. Ekosgen have prepared equivalent plans for other LEPs and are also working with Dorset on the development of the wider Strategic Economic Plan, which will be central to the Growth Deal agreed with Government. 

Geoffrey Smith, Dorset LEP Board member and Chairman of the Employment and Skills Board, said:

"It is absolutely vital that we get this plan right. We must ensure that we have a workforce confident and trained with the right skills to take us forward and to help us grow. The LEP's Skills Plan is a pragmatic plan of action for tackling the challenges facing Dorset, not only for the next few years but over the next 10 to 20 years. I would encourage as many businesses as possible to take this opportunity and have a say on the future of Dorset’s skills.”

 

The draft document will be published on the Dorset LEP website for public consultation in October. The final version will be complete by November 2013. 

The Dorset LEP was set up to invest in different industry sectors across the county to boost business, create new and more highly-skilled jobs and to ensure the county’s infrastructure is in a strong position to promote growth. It is driven by the private sector with local authority support.

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