Agenda item

Cabinet received a report on the Skills and Employment Strategy that introduced an ambitious agenda for raising the productivity of Buckinghamshire through place-based skills and employment priorities. It detailed the role people, communities, employers, learning providers and investors could play in achieving the Buckinghamshire vision for growth.

The Council would continue to build on its reputation as a great place to live and work, with a clear skills and employment vision and ambitions helping to maximise on local opportunities and minimise challenges. The delivery of skills and employment priorities would improve the quality of life, and help more people benefit from the opportunities the county had to offer.

The Buckinghamshire Skills and Employment Strategy brought together the latest analysis, stakeholder vision and the tertiary education providers to ensure that Buckinghamshire’s current and future workforce were equipped with the skills to reach their potential, gain meaningful employment and boost productivity. The Skills and Employment Strategy:

• Set out the vision for place-based skills and employment priorities that would underpin delivery of the Council’s ambitions for Buckinghamshire.

• Established the approach to economic growth through investment in skills and employment and focuses action.

• Enabled effective local partnership working, encouraging collaborative approaches to addressing local challenges and sharing best practice.

RESOLVED –

That the Skills and Employment Strategy 2024-29 be ADOPTED, as a key corporate document of Buckinghamshire Council. 

Cabinet received a report on the Skills and Employment Strategy that introduced an ambitious agenda for raising the productivity of Buckinghamshire through place-based skills and employment priorities. It detailed the role people, communities, employers, learning providers and investors could play in achieving the Buckinghamshire vision for growth.

The Council would continue to build on its reputation as a great place to live and work, with a clear skills and employment vision and ambitions helping to maximise on local opportunities and minimise challenges. The delivery of skills and employment priorities would improve the quality of life and help more people benefit from the opportunities the county had to offer.

The Buckinghamshire Skills and Employment Strategy brought together the latest analysis, stakeholder vision and the tertiary education providers to ensure that Buckinghamshire’s current and future workforce were equipped with the skills to reach their potential, gain meaningful employment and boost productivity. The Skills and Employment Strategy:

• Set out the vision for place-based skills and employment priorities that would underpin delivery of the Council’s ambitions for Buckinghamshire.

• Established the approach to economic growth through investment in skills and employment and focuses action.

• Enabled effective local partnership working, encouraging collaborative approaches to addressing local challenges and sharing best practice.

The Deputy Cabinet Member commented that the reason they were providing this Strategy was that there were 13,100 residents in Buckinghamshire who were economically inactive who want to work but required additional support. This was according to last year’s annual population survey (ONS). Therefore, there was talent and skills in the County being underused. This would also have an impact on other Council services, such as housing, and partners, such as the NHS. This was also a Strategy with targeted interventions in specific areas identified by stakeholders and monitored by the Skills Strategy Board. There were 26,930 residents over the age of 18 without qualifications and many of the interventions in the Strategy were designed to help them, such as the Multiply Programme or Horizons with its own employment programme. There had been good collaborative work around the Strategy with young people such as Youth Voice Bucks, Bucks Careers Leaders Hub of School Leaders and consultation with employers. If approved, the Strategy would be fully funded with a budget of £13 million, 14% of that funded by the Council and 86% by Government and their partners. Further funding opportunities would be sought to the sum of £10 million.

During discussion the following points were made:-

·       Cabinet Members welcomed the fact that this Strategy applied to a wide age spectrum from school leavers to mature adults and linked into personal wellbeing (combatting deprivation and poverty) and improving the overall economy.

·       Some Members had been involved as part of a Member Forum, but a question was asked about involvement from local members across Buckinghamshire. In terms of Member involvement, other Members would continue to be involved and there would be a launch event on 12 January, to which MP’s had been invited. The Leader commented that this Strategy would link in well with the Opportunity Bucks Programme to help residents living in those wards overcome barriers to employment.

·       There were also Skills Bootcamps, which were free short courses designed to help residents with the knowledge and skills which were required by employers across Buckinghamshire. These courses lasted up to 16 weeks and were fully funded. Skills Bootcamps were put of the Government’s Levelling – Up agenda and the Lifetime Skills Guarantee Programme. This month was the start of the first wave of Bootcamps which would be held at Bucks College Group. A contract had just been signed for the second wave of Skills Bootcamps investing £3.2 million to provide another 788 learner outcomes in sectors which the Council were focussed on such as construction, engineering, digital, agriculture, leadership and management, gaming and creative (film/tv). These courses would commence in April.

https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/community-and-safety/skills-opportunities-and-employment/enrol-in-a-skills-bootcamp

·       This Strategy worked well with the Local Skills Implementation Plan. A Cabinet Member reported that the Plan included data from 800 businesses and 22 education providers and recognised what industry wanted. He asked about how adults mid-career fitted into the Strategy. The Deputy Cabinet Member referred to the 788 learner outcomes and ensuring that all needs were met across the County, particularly in the Opportunity Bucks wards.

·       A Member commented that there were no metrics in the Action Plan. The Service Director of Major Projects reported that a dashboard was being created and there were already metrics in place, as well as more being developed, which would be reported on frequently. The metrics would be considered by the Skills Strategy Board which would be reported into the Growth Board.

·       A Cabinet Member welcomed promotion of the virtual work experience platform, which had been rolled out recently and was on the Council website in partnership with Youth Employment UK. This included online videos showcasing careers and opportunities within Buckinghamshire Council. The Bucks Skills Hub was also a great resource. The Buckinghamshire Jobs and Apprenticeships Fair also advertised live vacancies.

https://bucksskillshub.org/

https://bucksskillshub.org/news/live-virtual-nhs-healthcare-careers-work-experience-programme

RESOLVED –

That the Skills and Employment Strategy 2024-29 be ADOPTED, as a key corporate document of Buckinghamshire Council.