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‘Every business counts’ in campaign to plug skills gap

A major campaign is underway to help plug the region’s skills gap, with every business being urged to play their part.

The North East England Chamber of Commerce is calling on companies in Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland and the Tees Valley to get involved in helping to create a blueprint for skills and training to take the region’s economy forward.

The Chamber has been asked by the Government to put together a Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) for the North of Tyne and Tees Valley areas. The LSIP is designed to put employers at the heart of the skills system by requiring Further Education Colleges or other training providers to tailor their educational offer to the requirements of employers.

Unlike previous initiatives to address skills and training issues, the Local Skills Improvement Plan is enshrined in law and providers will be assessed by Ofsted on how they adhere to it. As the organisation putting together the plan, the Chamber needs to look closely at specific sectors but also the everyday business skills required by all companies North of the Tyne and in the Tees Valley, and what skills are needed to bring about change – and they can only do that with the help of businesses in those areas.

Rachel Anderson, Assistant Director of Policy at the North East England Chamber of Commerce, said: “The Local Skills Improvement Plan has the potential to transform the skill set of workers in the region and hence create a step change in our economy – but it will only do so if every business plays its part.

“This is a real opportunity to turn talk into action, to help bring about the change which we know employers want to see. That’s why we’re urging businesses in all sectors, of all shapes and sizes, to have their say and let us know what skills they want to see developed in order for them to thrive and grow.

“Every business counts in this campaign so please make sure that your voice is heard.” Across the UK, the British Chambers of Commerce has reported that skills shortages have reached “crisis point”, with the number of vacancies now more than 1.2 million and 76 per cent of recruiting businesses struggling to find the right staff. On the flipside, a skilled workforce offers huge opportunities for the region: the drive towards Net Zero in the Tees Valley alone is predicted to create over 25,000 jobs by 2050, as well as add an average of £2bn to the regional economy.

While the North East England Chamber of Commerce has identified a number of key growth sectors in the North of Tyne and Tees Valley areas, such as renewable energy, health and social care and culture, creative and tourism, it is also looking at skills issues which cut right across the economy, such as digital and IT skills, project management skills and supervisory and management training.

Rachel explained: “We know in every business there are skills requirements which are not met, where people muddle through or try to work things out because there are not the right skills available at the right time.

“These skills shortages are often hidden because they fall into every sector and don’t get picked up until it is too late.

“Wouldn’t it be fantastic if we could develop resources that would give every company the chance to recruit skilled staff or upskill their existing workforce in this way?”

The first step in creating the Local Skills Improvement Plan is for businesses to engage with the Chamber and outline what skills they are looking for, both now and over the next three years.

You can do this by taking part in the Chamber’s LSIP survey here to help identify skills gaps and start building a blueprint for training in the future.

TAKE PART IN THE SURVEY