£200 million funding announced to support in-demand skills training

£200 million funding for colleges and universities has been announced to offer training opportunities in key industries facing skills shortages.

Targeted investment by the Department for Education announced on 10th November will match up will skills shortages and priority sectors identified by businesses in local skills improvement plans (LSIPs) around the country.

Sectors set to benefit include growing parts of the economy, including green energy, digital and construction, with the announcement coinciding with Green Careers Week, running from 6th to 11th November.

The funding will also make sure more people can access higher technical qualifications – that sit between A level, T levels and degrees – to gain in demand skills including digital, health care and engineering as an alternative to a traditional three-year degree.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: 

“This investment is about boosting local industries, building people’s skills and ultimately futureproofing our economy and the career prospects of the next generation.

“Our local skills projects will bring together regional organisations, businesses and education providers to respond to the specific needs of employers, building an increasingly skilled workforce and growing local economies.

“Whether it is green skills, construction, engineering or digital, thousands more people can now gain the skills they need to secure good jobs closer to home. These are long-term plans that will ensure every area can have a brighter future.”

Jane Gratton, Deputy Director of Public Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce which led in the development of LSIPs alongside other employer-led organisations, said:

“Businesses are crying out for more people with technical skills to fill the great jobs we have today and new ones in the developing green economy.

“It’s vital that everyone can access the training they need locally to grasp these opportunities.

“Business-led LSIPs are setting out the skills needs and opportunities, and this new funding will ensure the right training solutions are put in place.“