This document summarizes the Education Trust Skills Strategy update presented by Julie Obada and Anthony Baines. It outlines the skills landscape challenges including sector skills gaps, incentivizing upskilling, and employer/individual ownership of skills. The Education Trust aims to shape a high performing education and skills system that meets business needs and future challenges through increasing employment and productivity. Key priorities of the skills program include developing an apprenticeship hub in relation to the apprenticeship levy, an effective skills system aligned with business needs, and an all-age career guidance and employability framework. Next steps discussed are establishing a skills hub and STEM program, and developing links between employability, health, and a potential all-through

1. Education Trust Skills
Strategy Update
Julie Obada
Strategic Manager – LEP,
Education, Employment and Skills
Stoke-on-Trent City Council
Staffordshire Providers Association - 9th June 2016
Anthony Baines
County Commissioner for Skills &
Employability
Staffordshire County Council

2. Skills landscape and how it's changing
Significant skills challenge
• Local Labour market context
• Policy - Productivity Plan, Apprenticeship Levy, localism
• Economic growth - securing skills for growth
• young people & work readiness/employability
• sector skills gaps/shortages especially higher level
technical skills
• incentivising upskilling for progression
• employer & individual ownership of skills

3. Journey so far – Education Trust
Purpose
o LEP partnership with business / business groups, education / training providers /
public sector to raise aspirations and achievement.
Vision
o To shape a high performing, relevant and responsive education and skills
system that meets today’s business needs and anticipates the challenges
and opportunities of tomorrow.
Aims
o Absolute increase in the number of people in employment, particularly
in the priority growth sectors.
o Growth in productivity as people and businesses have the right skills
and the opportunities to use them in work.

4. OutcomesAllAgeIAG&CareersGuidance
SchoolsandBusinessWorkingTogether
FEProvidersandBusinessWorking
Together
HEProvidersandBusinessWorking
Together
Skills System Outcomes
• There will be a high performing, relevant & responsive
employment and skills system that meets today’s needs
and anticipates the challenges and opportunities of
tomorrow
• Young people will be enthused, well prepared and
knowledgeable about future job prospects and careers
paths.
• Those out of work will be helped back into the labour
market.
• Providers have a proactive skills approach linked and
responsive to employment/skills opportunities and
challenges.
• Prosperity and productivity will increase - people will
have the skills necessary for the opportunities that will
available in the future.
• High levels of “replacement demand” will be met.
• A marked reduction in skills shortages and gaps.
• Development and progression routes will be clear.
The Education Trust vision is for a Skills System
where business and education work together to
achieve shared outcomes

5. Skills Programme Outline
The ambition and priorities
• Support the creation of 50,000 jobs in the next 5 years
• Create 80,000 apprenticeship starts in the next 5 years
• Raise aspirations and focus on local opportunities for growth and prosperity in key
local growth sectors
Key Priorities
• Apprenticeships – hub, linked to levy and 3 million target (2020)
• Effective skills system to meet business skill needs and
maximise local employment
• Careers Guidance & Employability – create an all age offer

6. Skills Programme Apprenticeships
What’s already happening
• Staffordshire Apprenticeship Ladder
• Apprentice Business Ambassadors
• Apprenticeship Business Help Line as part of the Growth Hub
• Annual Apprenticeship Awards & Apprenticeship Graduation Ceremony
• Co-commissioned higher apprenticeships
Next Steps: Develop an Apprenticeship Hub Growth Plan

7. Skills Programme Career Guidance &
Employability
What’s already happening
• School Locality Projects
• Have-a-go Events
• Get Set - NEET
• Bright Futures
• Co-Commissioned the National Careers Service
• Careers & Enterprise Company
Next Steps: All Age Career Guidance & Employability Framework

8. Skills Programme Skills System
What’s already happening
• Adult Skills Pilot
• Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Hub
• ESF Skills & Employability Commissioning Plan
Next Steps:
• Establish a Skills Hub
• STEM programme
• Post-16 Area Review

9. The ambition and what’s left to do?
Key Issues & Opportunities
• Making better links between employability, health and wellbeing
• What would an all-through skills system look like?
• Business engagement – securing business ownership of skills
• Devolution and localism – skills and employment support

10. Questions, comments,
discussion…