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<p>The department wants providers to continue to offer high-quality, relevant provision
and to build upon the already fantastic work they do in partnership with local employers.
The coming decade will see substantial economic change and as the economy changes,
so will the skills needs of learners and employers. The department recognises that
this will play out in different ways across the country and that is why the department
introduced Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) to support local innovation and
growth so that every part of the country can succeed in its own unique way.</p><p>
</p><p>The department is delighted that across all areas of England, employer-led
LSIPs have already helped engage thousands of local businesses and have brought them
together with local providers and stakeholders to collaboratively agree and deliver
actions to address local skills needs. By building locally owned LSIPs from the ground
up, the department is reshaping the skills system to better support people to train
for, and succeed in, their local labour market.</p><p> </p><p>The department welcomes
the excellent engagement currently taking place between the designated employer representative
bodies (ERBs) leading the LSIPs and local providers of technical education and training.
It has meant that in summer 2023, all 38 areas of England published a plan, which
was approved by the Secretary of State for Education, setting out local skills priorities
and actions across the next three years. Moving forward, the ERBs leading the implementation
and review of the LSIPs are continuing to work closely with local providers and stakeholders
to deliver the priority actions set out in the LSIPs. Indeed, each ERB will provide
a public annual progress report in June 2024 and 2025 setting out progress made since
publication of the LSIPs.</p><p> </p><p>LSIPs are working alongside the department’s
wider reforms to further education (FE) funding and accountability, enabling a step
change in how FE provision meets local skills needs. To help ensure the success of
the programme, and as part of this government’s commitment to continue to invest significantly
into FE, the department provided a dedicated £165 million Local Skills Improvement
Fund (LSIF) to support providers to work collaboratively to respond to the needs identified
in the LSIPs.</p><p> </p><p>Provider projects the department is funding through the
LSIF include training to plug key skills gaps in digital, net zero and green, construction,
artificial intelligence and health and social care, all of which were identified as
priorities by employers through the LSIPs.</p><p> </p><p>Together, LSIPS and the LSIF
are galvanising and bringing employers and providers closer together to spread opportunity
for young people, skills for businesses and growth for all areas of this country.</p>
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