The fund will support six projects being delivered through a collaborative partnership involving the region’s six Further Education (FE) Colleges – Southport College, The City of Liverpool College, Riverside College, Hugh Baird College, Wirral Met College and the SK College Group. Designed to support the priorities of the Region’s Local Skills Improvement Plan, the award of £4.5m will be used to strengthen relationships with local Chambers of Commerce and forms part of a government drive to level up the country by getting more people into quality jobs close to home, while plugging skills gaps across key sectors including advanced, manufacturing, logistics, and construction.
Of the total amount, £3.5 million will be directed towards capital projects, including the acquisition of advanced equipment to ensure that college facilities are state-of-the-art and ready to meet the evolving needs of the industry. A further £1 million has been allocated for revenue projects, specifically targeting innovation in vocational training across the digital and low carbon economies. It will also support recruitment ensuring local talent is accessible to prospective employers and able to benefit from emerging careers opportunities across the City Region’s diverse economy.
Some of the key projects include the creation of a central talent bank to connect employers with local talent, the development of virtual Freeport skills academy and new, flexible training programs for employers. And, save the date for March 2024 – the colleges will be hosting a skills summit for the Liverpool City Region in collaboration with the City Region’s Chambers of Commerce.
This opportunity is the result of a collaborative effort across the region’s FE providers that not only included the colleges, but also through joint working with the Greater Merseyside Learning Providers Federation. The Local Skills Improvement Fund project closely aligns with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority skills strategy - its primary focus being enhancing access to training for the progression of the region's workforce into technical and higher technical occupations, as well as bolstering the provision of digital skills. Additionally, it seeks to enhance the region's competitiveness and productivity while aiming to achieve its Net Zero targets.
Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “The funding package is a huge boost for upskilling the Liverpool City Region, while encouraging more people to take Higher Technical Qualifications."
Mark Burrows, Deputy Principal and CEO at The Southport Education Group, said “We are proud to have played a key role in securing part of the Local Skills Improvement Fund. The funding will, amongst other opportunities, be developing education programmes in key skills and priority areas, as well enable a variety of major investment projects to take place. Both of which will, in turn, ensure our students enter the world of work confident, well equipped for all the challenges ahead and with the skills employers in our region value and need”.
Rachael Hennigan, Chair of the Association of Liverpool City Region Colleges said: “The FE Colleges in Liverpool City Region both serve their local borough communities and work collaboratively: to design and deliver programmes for the wider City Region. Building on earlier success of the Skills Development Fund, this new Local Skills Investment Fund will continue to support the design of new curriculum and skills that will help to create a cleaner, greener economy, contributing to the City Region’s ambition to be net carbon zero by 2040.”
Liverpool City Region secures £4.5 million skills funding boost
In association with the City Region’s FE College’s and training providers The Southport Education Group (which includes Southport College and KGV Sixth Form College), is delighted to have been part of the region’s bid to secure a share of the government’s £165 million Local Skills Improvement Fund.
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