South Yorkshire to pilot new Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP)

16th July 2021

South Yorkshire’s Chambers of Commerce have come together to lead a successful bid that could transform skills supply, employment prospects, and business productivity across the region.

The South Yorkshire LSIP Trailblazer will be led by Doncaster Chamber working alongside Sheffield, and Barnsley and Rotherham Chambers of Commerce and a range of partners including the region’s colleges and Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) Training Centre.  The bid was backed by all of the region’s MPs, the Sheffield City Region Mayoral Combined Authority, Local Enterprise Partnership and a range of other strategic partners.

This will be a targeted pilot working closely with colleges and other provider to provide skills solutions for employers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) related industries.  As well as putting businesses in the driving seat when it comes to articulating skills demand, the pilot will also seek to encourage businesses to increase the level of investment in their workforce.

Andrew Denniff, CEO Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber, said: “This is excellent news for South Yorkshire.  Improving skills supply and encouraging businesses to invest in workforce development are two priorities within the region’s ambitious Strategic Economic Plan.  This is an opportunity to put employers at the heart of skills planning in a new and innovative way.”

Dan Fell, CEO Doncaster Chamber, said: “Our bid was backed by a range of STEAM-related employers, including some of the region’s exemplar businesses, who have committed to working with the Chambers and Colleges as early adopters to make this this project a success.  The collaborative approach to this bid demonstrates the ability of ‘Team South Yorkshire’ to sing from the same hymn sheet and to create positive outcomes for the region’s businesses and residents.”

Louisa Harrison-Walker, an Executive Director at Sheffield Chamber, said: “Developing a highly skilled workforce is so very important to our Chamber members and the wider business community. This work will be led by businesses for businesses, but it will involve genuine collaboration with all those who care about developing a highly skilled workforce fit for the 21st century.”