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Aligning local skills supply with local employers' needs: a model Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP)
A new Gatsby-commissioned report sets out how Employer Representative Bodies (ERBs) can structure their Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) to improve the alignment of skills supply with employer needs.
The first Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) were published by designated Employer Representative Bodies (ERBs) in 2023. During 2022 to 2024, Gatsby commissioned public policy consultancy Think to offer support for the development of these early plans – including facilitating workshops, undertaking detailed reviews of all published LSIP reports, and wide-ranging consultation to draw out best practice and identify obstacles.
Learning from this experience of working with ERBs, this new report describes a model skills plan, with a particular focus on how LSIP reports can support the shaping of publicly-funded technical education for their place.
This model skills plan focuses on three key areas:
- Area and economy – establishing a clear sense of place
- Skills shortages, gaps and priorities – analysis to identify skills needs
- Delivering on priorities – a roadmap for action setting out clear ambition and responsibilities
The report will be useful for both local and national partners as they work together on the development of targeted skills provision to meet the needs of local employers.
It is well recognised that strong collaboration is vital for coherent planning for skills provision to meet local and national needs. Alongside analysis of place, skills shortages, gaps and priorities, local skills plans must also support implementation. Drawing on learning from experiences of development and implementation of the first LSIPs, this report describes how a local skills plan can be structured to improve alignment between the supply of skills and employer needs.
Download the full report and model here.
Read more about Gatsby's previous work on Local Skills Improvement Plans: www.gatsby.org.uk/education/latest/learning-from-local-skills-improvement-plans