The Leeds City Region Skills Network brings together further education colleges, higher education institutions, voluntary and community organizations, and private training providers across Leeds City Region to improve skills and employment opportunities. The network aims to strengthen partnerships between employers and skills providers, identify skills needs, and increase investment in skills development. It has collaborated on sector-specific projects and engaged employers to discuss their needs. The skills network has been recognized as a best practice model and works with the local enterprise partnership to address skills gaps. It continues to focus on joint working between employers and educators to manage initiatives that meet employer needs such as apprenticeships, youth employment, and leadership training.

1. Leeds City Region – Skills Network
Calderdale College originally led on a project under the efficiency innovation fund.
One area of work developed from this project relates to the development of a skills
network that engages employers, Colleges and LEPS in the local region. The aim is
to improve partnerships, create collaboration and work together towards a shared
agenda that will benefit all. The network enables skills needs to be identified and
addressed. This brief provides background to the Skills Network and demonstrates
the advantages that it has brought to the region that could replicated by others
across the country.
Background to the Skills Network
The skills network brings together 14 FE Colleges across the Leeds City Region, 9 HE
institutions, over 1,000 voluntary and community sector organisations, private
training providers and employability providers. The purpose of the Leeds City
Region Skills network is to increase employer and individual’s engagement and
investment in skills strengthen joint working between employers, the LEP/ESB and
skills providers improve the effectiveness of skills investment.
Successes and Achievements
Collaboration on sector specific projects including:
 Green Jobs Event;
 Low Carbon Sector Workshop;
 Environmental health
 Strong engagement with Task Groups through representative members
 ‘What do employers want?’ Bringing together FE, HE and private training to
discuss needs of local employers and launching the Local Enterprise
Partnership Skills Research
 World Skills Local ‘Have A Go’ contract awarded to LCR Skills Network
thanks to breadth of partners involved and coverage across the region

2. The Skills network has also been recognised from AoC & BIS as ‘Best Practice’ model
and given support from Skills Minister endorsing joint working between LEP &
Skills Network to address skills needs
Continued Development
The Skills network is maintaining focus on strengthening joint working between
employers and skills providers. Ensuring there is further progress on sector specific
projects, continuing to lead on and manage initiatives to meet the needs of
employers.
Examples of areas focused on by the network include:
 Increased focus on work readiness of school/college/university leavers, e.g.
 Improved performance in basic Maths and English for employability
 Importance of core skills and flexibility to adapt to as yet unknown new
technologies, industries and jobs
 More enterprise and innovation culture in education
 Increase apprenticeship uptake
 Increase youth employment options to combat high levels of unemployment
amongst 16-24 year olds
 Promote increasing opportunities for progression into higher level skilled jobs
in professional business services and other technical roles
 Improved leadership and management skills critical to promoting better
employer investment in skills of existing workforce
The network has been asked there views on the above areas in terms of the current
position and what there future plans for development are.