The LSIP has brought employers and providers together like never before to tackle long-standing skills problems and collaborate on solutions. The effect has been profound.

In this report, we set out in detail the progress made against our LSIP action plan.

You can read the LSIP Progress Report here.

Significant highlights are presented below.

• Collaboration – Our Sector Employer Groups have embraced the LSIP and are working well with providers to oversee and support implementation in the priority sectors.
• Strategy – The LSIP is now part of the wider Skills and Employment Strategy for Buckinghamshire which is being steered by Buckinghamshire Council under the guidance of the Place-Based Growth Board.

The LSIP has enabled Buckinghamshire to win £2.5 million from the Local Skills Improvement Fund for skills projects in the county, including:

• Construction – New facilities are being developed at Buckinghamshire College Group (BCG) to create new full-time, part-time and apprenticeship provision for the construction sector.
• Engineering – BCG will develop a Buckinghamshire Engineering Hub to provide hitherto unavailable full-time, part-time and apprenticeship provision in mechanical and electrical engineering.
• Health and social care – A pilot scheme is underway for an innovative Volunteering Skills Record, with Buckinghamshire Health & Social Care Academy and Community Impact Bucks, to develop work-readiness skills with the potential to be replicated across all sectors.
• Tutor development – A programme is in progress to develop the capability to support the transition of technically skilled professionals from industry into teaching roles.
• Skills brokerage - Support to Buckinghamshire businesses, in partnership with Buckinghamshire Business First, to identify skills challenges and refer to training providers.

Other skills initiatives enabled by the LSIP include:

• Retrofit skills - £45,000 from Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has been provided to Buckinghamshire Business First for research into the skills needs of the retrofit workforce under its Home Decarbonisation regional skills project.
• Tackling priority skills gaps - £3.2 million has been secured by Buckinghamshire Council for 24 Skills Bootcamps to address skills shortages and gaps in the LSIP priority sectors for delivery in 2024–25.
• Film & TV – A feasibility study on a potential Film & TV Skills Hub in the county has been developed and partners are now working together to incorporate it into a wider concept called “Screen Buckinghamshire”.
• Space sector - £5.9 million to Westcott Space Cluster awarded by the UK Space Agency to build a new technical and training facility to support the Space sector at Westcott Venture Park.  The LSIP supported the business case.

The Minister for Skills, The Rt Hon Baroness Smith of Malvern, said: “I welcome the publication of the Local Skills Improvement Plan Progress Report for Buckinghamshire. These reports set out progress made on meeting the skills needs of local employers. As well as being a valuable source of information for local skills deliverers, employers and stakeholders, the reports - along with the LSIPs themselves - will provide important intelligence for the newly established Skills England.”

Buckinghamshire Local Skills Improvement Plan Progress Report 2023-24: Download here (PDF) >

Buckinghamshire LSIP document: Download here (PDF) >

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Contact our Workforce Skills Team to learn about the skills and training support that's available for your business. Email WorkforceSkills@bbf.uk.com or call 01494 927130.

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