It is very positive that last Friday the Government submitted provision for one of our region’s education elements and it was very encouraging that the Department for Education (DfE) published the Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIP) for Sussex. This recent information for the Sussex LSIP can be obtained from both the DfE website and also the Sussex Chamber of Commerce website in their education skills page. The Sussex Chamber of Commerce was the organisation that set out the proposal for the LSIP which started nearly three years ago when it was introduced in the Skills for Jobs White Paper in January 2021. The involvement of other groups that have taken place for it started almost two years ago in Autumn 2021. I have had the opportunity since the early few weeks to get involved in the planning system for the Sussex LSIP on behalf of Ashdown Audio Visual which is the company for which I am the Account Manager.

Along with a number of other Sussex Companies that have taken part in the group there was also a significant number of Education groups representing Colleges and Universities for Sussex. The value for Businesses is for them to obtain more flexible training to come from the Colleges and Universities to match the requirements of the needs of their workers. Along with the Commercial and Education agencies there are also all of the senior Sussex Councils. During the planning of LSIP the Chamber of Commerce met with Sussex MPs several times last year which was very useful and so it will be very positive if all of them will now endorse in the approval of the Government.

The Sussex Chamber of Commerce explains that the LSIP is to:

provide a comprehensive and accessible evidence base for Sussex, giving an overview of the labour market and setting out the skills needs of the key sectors; deliver a unified approach to meeting the skills needs across Sussex, adding value to existing provision and promoting the importance of lifelong skills development and careers education; promote and facilitate collaboration with employers to embed their role in the development of an appropriately skilled Sussex workforce​;  identify skills initiatives that support businesses and residents in Sussex through the cost-of-living crisis, the ongoing impact of Covid, whilst addressing the opportunities and challenges brought about by Brexit;  articulate the skills, capabilities and expertise needed for jobs in Sussex that directly contribute to or indirectly support Net Zero targets, adaptation to Climate Change or meet other environmental goals​; and  encourage and promote best use of public and private sector investment into the existing and future Sussex workforce​.

In early June Parliament held a discussion about “Local Business Needs: Skills Development” and the only person who referred to LSIP was Gillian Keegan who is the Minister for Education and the MP for Chichester who said

I am delighted that we will be rolling out the local skills improvement plans from this summer. The LSIPs will put local employers at the heart of developing skills provision to meet the needs of their businesses, ensuring that people get the right skills to get good local jobs. In my own Chichester constituency, the Sussex LSIP is working to meet the needs of many sectors, including our horticultural industry, worth £1 billion a year to the local economy. Other hon. Members in rural seats will understand the recruitment challenges facing agrifood businesses. Our skills plan will bring together providers such as colleges to create more opportunities for people to get the skills businesses need, and that will be going on across the country.

And later in the session she stated

I know that many local employers, including Essex & Suffolk Water, Rose Builders, Ground Control, DP World London Gateway, Adventure Island and Constellation Marketing, are working with the Essex chambers of commerce and South Essex College to steer the LSIP. Many businesses up and down the country will benefit from our £165 million local skills improvement fund that providers, including South Essex College, will apply for.

The only other Sussex MP who has spoken about LSIP in Parliament is Sally-Ann Hart who contributed during a session of the Education (Careers Guidance in Schools) Bill in January 2022. Towards the end of her comment, she stated

I am delighted that East Sussex College in Hastings was part of the successful Sussex-wide application under the skills accelerator programme for a joint local skills improvement plan and strategic development fund pilot. I have been listening in to some of the LSIP virtual meetings to go through the various areas, including manufacturing and engineering, and it is fascinating to see the research and evidence that they have built up.

Along with these two Sussex MPs who have referred to Sussex LSIP in Parliament, there was a letter published by a Conservative Essex MP Alex Burghart, back in April 2022, who wrote

As a result, an exception will be made to the overall approach on geography and allow for a slightly different configuration in the South-East. This will mean that there will be separate LSIPs for Essex, Thurrock, and Southend-on-Sea; Kent and Medway; and East and West Sussex along with Brighton and Hove. It will mean the Enterprise M3 LSIP area absorbing those Surrey district council areas that are in the Coast to Capital LEP area.

It has been marvellous for this to be approved by the Government from last Friday.