Q1
West & North Yorkshire Business
30 EDUCATION At the University of York, we’re committed to ensuring that, as an anchor institution, we shape, influence and contribute to the pressing economic and social issues we face locally and nationally. Lord Kerslake made an important point when he argued: “The deep economic and social changes that are happening in Britain today have made the civic role of universities even more vital to the places they are located. Universities have an irreplaceable and unique role in helping their host communities thrive and their own success is bound up with the success of the places that gave birth to them”. But what does that mean in practise and how are we addressing the skills and training gap in order to build back better? The pandemic has had a devastating effect on jobs and skills with young people and small and micro businesses being disproportionately affected, further compounding the patterns of inequality in our cities and our regions. These challenges open up new opportunities for us to help people through change and revitalise our skills agenda, by working with our stakeholders and communities to develop skills and training opportunities for people of all ages in our region.
Building back better
Our approach Professor Kiran Trehan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Partnership and Engagement
Thinking about the types of skills that will be required in the future, it is likely that, alongside communication skills, there will be a high demand for IT, digital and green skills, especially in construction, enterprise and e-commerce. Education, training and development has a vital role to play in the economic recovery process. This requires an integrated and holistic vision and strategy which puts enterprise skills and entrepreneurialism at the heart of innovation and growth. The work we are doing at the University of York with the YNY LEP, York City Council and partners across the city, creating new incubation spaces and developing a York accelerator is a great example of partnership in action. It is important that we do not lose sight of the entrepreneurial talent that exists in our region and in an effort to harness and develop this talent the University is launching two new initiatives: Firstly, the Institute for Enterprise and Leadership (IEL), which will provide a ‘one-stop shop’ for students, businesses, community organisations and policymakers/practitioners to access, and work with, the full range of the University’s offer to support enterprise development. The Institute will provide specialist training to SMEs to innovate and grow as well as supporting new start-ups and social enterprises. Secondly, we are launching plans for the York Guildhall to develop a hub for high growth businesses. The new spaces will enable the University to bring the support it offers to local business and enterprise into the heart of York, driving inclusive and sustainable growth in the city as it recovers from the pandemic. Within the Guildhall, we will provide flexible workspaces and business support for entrepreneurs and start-ups looking to locate, invest and grow in York. By working in close collaboration with partners including Make it York and the City of York Council, the University will offer opportunities for businesses to start, innovate and grow through incubator, accelerator and scale-up facilities. These two new initiatives will help foster a culture, which inspires entrepreneurial ambition, provides relevant skills training which is agile and responsive, and broadens our capacity to close the skills gaps. We all have an instrumental role to play in delivering economic and social prosperity, and in doing so we create a culture that makes the levelling up agenda everyone’s business.
