On 5 September, the Secretary of State designated employer representative bodies (ERBs) to lead the development and review of a Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) for local specified areas. This follows an expression of interest process that was launched in May 2022. There is more information is on the designated employer representative bodies page.
The department is introducing LSIPs to give employers a stronger voice in shaping local skills provision, working closely with providers, and engaging effectively with local leaders and other stakeholders. The aim is to forge a stronger and more dynamic partnership between employers and providers that will enable provision to support learners’ interests by being more responsive to skills needs of local labour markets, whilst ensuring providers continue to meet their fiduciary duties, the relationship between trustee and beneficiary.
The national roll out of LSIPs is underpinned by duties on providers and the Secretary of State outlined in the Skills and Post-16 Education Act (2022) Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022. Providers including Further Education (FE) Colleges (and designated institutions), Sixth Form Colleges, Independent Training Providers and Higher Education Institutions will need to cooperate with the employer representative body developing and reviewing the LSIP. Once the LSIP is produced they will need to have due regard to it in developing provision.
Initial statutory guidance for the development and review of LSIPs, which took account of learning from the trailblazers, was published 1 August 2022 and will be updated in Autumn 2022 local skills improvement plans.
George Swann, FIS Skills and Training Lead said, “Employers who may be struggling to get training for their employees through local provision now have an opportunity to be heard. FIS will be happy to facilitate discussion with the designated Employer Representative Body in order to register training need on the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) for local specified areas. If you need help please give George a call on 07553 874838 or email georgeswann@thefis.org
