Agenda item

A report was presented which provided an update across the range of the LEP and SYMCA skills and employment activity.  The devolved SYMCA Adult Education Budget (AEB) had gone live on 1 August 2021, and had totalled over £42m in 2021 – 22.  From which, £30.6m provision had been commissioned by the SYMCA from pre-entry level through to Level 3 from grant funded providers which included FE Colleges and local authorities.  A lessons learned review had been commissioned by the ESEB, which would be focussed around encouraging recommendations for future AEB commissioning.

Members noted the following key points:-

·        The skills strategy was an ongoing piece of work which recognised the need to draw on evidence from the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) Trailblazer that was led by the Chambers of Commerce.

·        The Careers and Enterprise Company had awarded funding to the LEP/SYMCA for the first time in 2020-21 for a South Yorkshire Careers Hub.  The aim was to create a stronger link between the hub and the strategic priorities of the LEP.

·        The Skills Bank 3 procurement process was currently underway, with a view to the programme commencing in early April 2022.

·        The South Yorkshire Jobs Fund was a paid employment programme for South Yorkshire residents aged 25+ years that had been out of employment for 6 months.  Development of the programme was well underway.  The tender had been prepared and was planned to go out in November 2021 to seek a provider to work with employers.

·        Funding had been secured for Working Win for 12 months from September 2021.  It was hoped that there would be an extension of funding for a further 2 years.  The initial programme focused on providing support to individuals with low to moderate mental health and/or physical health conditions.  As at 20 October 2021, a total 343 individuals had been supported through the programme.

·        Work was currently under development to support the apprenticeship opportunities within the region.  A proposal had been received to establish the South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Hub.  An understanding was required to establish how to maximise the levy transfer scheme and how to develop the provider market apprenticeship.

J Muir recognised and applauded the efforts that had been made in rationalising the Adult Education Budget, which had been a huge focus of the SCR Skills Team.  He hoped to observe where all of the key initiatives fit together in terms of the weight of spend and reach, and to identify the gaps in order to understand the priorities.

H Kemp referred to the cohesive skills strategy.  The elements of which had been discussed with the Co-Chairs, and a further meeting would be held shortly to go through the detail.

N Brewster highlighted the need for work to be undertaken around the wealth of the skills strategy which fell into the local authorities’ local skills plans, together with the broader stakeholders within a timely manner.

Dr Smith agreed with N Brewster’s perspective, although he considered that it would be unrealistic to undertake the work during Quarter 1.  He considered that the conversation to ascertain the skills focus would be both time consuming and the largest challenge.  The debate would present the outcome of everyone’s view from their individual perspectives.  He considered that previously, the objective to attempt to achieve a focus on what had made the most impact had been lost which had resulted in low attainment and progression levels for skills across the working population in South Yorkshire.

Members were referred to the work that had been undertaken to highlight the interventions where both the SYMCA and the LEP could make a difference.  J Muir considered that the SYMCA and LEP should not be solely responsible for resolving the entire skills issue within South Yorkshire.

D Fell referred to the Skills Minister who had visited Doncaster today.  The outcomes from the visit had highlighted that South Yorkshire was ahead of other regions in terms of skills.  A further visit would be made to the region in late January/February 2022 with a view to utilising the skills accelerator project.  D Fell considered that this presented a key opportunity for everyone to re-present their skills asks back to the Skills Minister.

RESOLVED – That the Board:-

i)        Noted the updates on each of the key skills and employability work areas.

ii)      Considered the invitation to nominate a champion for careers hub activities as at section 2.3.4 of the report.