Purpose of the report
The Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) Annual Progress Report (‘the report’) has been produced to assess the progress made in the last twelve months towards the objectives set out in the LSIP published in 2023.1 This is the second Annual Progress Report, with the first submitted in summer 2024.2
The intended audience of the report includes employers, all types of providers of skills training, organisations supporting adults in search of employment and other key stakeholders including the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) and local authorities within Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
The report describes the objectives which were set within the LSIP and the progress which has been made towards them. In doing so, the report highlights the benefits of changes which have been achieved and the impact of investment in new employment and skills training facilities and programmes. The report also includes updates on the progress to improve the support provided to individuals to enable them to secure and sustain employment.
In addition, we have also sought to identify changes to the operating environment, including to the existing and future skills needs of employers and individuals in the area.
Our thanks go to the many partner organisations that have helped to shape and implement Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire’s actionable LSIP priorities. We look forward to continuing progress into the final year of this LSIP as we look ahead to the planned refresh of the LSIP, which is expected to begin in autumn 2025.
Lee Osborne LSIP Project Lead Federation of Small Businesses
Summary of the LSIP
In 2022 the Department for Education designated the Federation of Small Businesses as the Employer Representative Body (ERB) responsible for developing the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, encompassing Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, and Nottinghamshire (also referred to in this report as ‘the local area’).
FSB is a non-profit, non-partisan organisation that provides support, advocacy, and resources to UK small businesses and the self-employed, including representing their interests in national and local government. From 2022 onwards, FSB has worked with a wide range of employers, providers, and other stakeholders to establish skills needs and to address the recommendations identified in the LSIP through actionable priorities taken forward by FSB and a wide range of organisations and partners across the local area.
The aim of the LSIP is to identify the priorities and changes needed in an area to make post-16 technical education or training more responsive and closely aligned to local labour market needs.3 In doing so, an LSIP should place the local area’s employers at the heart of the local skills system, helping to increase engagement and allowing them to build stronger relationships with local training providers.4
Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire is home to over 2.2 million people. It has a diverse pattern of communities, including the rapidly developing cities of Derby and Nottingham. The local area has 182,000 businesses. Whilst the local area boasts some of the UK’s largest manufacturers, 89% of businesses are micro organisations. The local area has large rural areas with a tourist economy centred on the picturesque Peak District. It has a rich blend of beauty, industrial heritage, vitality, and economic opportunity.5
The Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire LSIP, published in summer 2022, identified 18 actionable priorities built around five prominent cross-cutting themes, as follows:
• Digital Skills
• Net Zero
• Essential and Transferable Skills
• Local Skills System
• Local Socio-Economic Conditions
The Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire LSIP is more than just a plan; it is a process that fosters dialogue and enables stronger relationships within the local skills system. Through this process, the local area will better develop the skills it needs to thrive, supporting the growth of people, businesses, and places.
Strategic and economic context
Since the publication of the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire LSIP there have been substantive changes in the strategic and economic landscape of the local area. These are summarised below:
Leadership and governance
The most significant change has been the establishment of EMCCA in March 2024, with the Mayoral election taking place in May 2024. The creation of EMCCA saw an associated £1.14 billion allocated for investment in the local area over 30 years.6 EMCAA has established six key priority themes for action: Transport, Housing, Skills and Adult Education, Net Zero, Economic Development and the Visitor Economy. As part of the devolution deal with Government, around £53m of Adult Skills Fund is set to be devolved to EMCCA from the 2025/26 academic year onwards, on a recurring annual basis.
The D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership transferred its staff into EMCCA during June 2024. Subsequently, FSB has met with representatives of EMCCA to share updates on LSIP progress and review future opportunities. In autumn 2024 EMCCA established a Skills and Employment Committee, which FSB has attended. In January 2025 EMCCA published its ASF Strategic Skills Plan (SSP),7 setting out key priorities for the devolved Adult Skills Fund. FSB has established strong working relationships with colleagues responsible for taking forward the SSP, and regular meetings are occurring.
It is worth noting that from October the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire LSIP will be renamed to East Midlands LSIP to reflect the change in local governance.
Economy and growth
Significant developments in the economy of the local area in recent times include:
• The UK’s first commercial nuclear reactor, the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP)8 prototype fusion energy plant, is due for construction on the site of the former coal-fired plant at West Burton in north Nottinghamshire. It is likely that this will have a significant impact on the future skills requirements of businesses in the local area, including within its supply chain. First announced in 2022, the process of recruiting to senior positions commenced in February 2025 and a series of events designed to engage local suppliers has also been initiated.
• The UK’s only inland freeport, East Midlands Freeport, became fully operational in 2023. The freeport encompasses three designated investment zones, two of which fall into the regional area,9 intended to create a major hub for industry and low carbon innovation benefiting the region.10
• In autumn 2024 funding was confirmed for the East Midlands Investment Zone11(EMIZ), which seeks to establish a national hub of excellence and the primary destination for green technology and advanced manufacturing investors. These accord with priority themes set out in the LSIP. Alongside the government investment of £160 million over ten years, Rolls-Royce and Laing O’Rourke have pledged to provide an anchor investment of £9.3 million. The Investment Zone is expected to attract at least £383 million in private sector investment.
• Rolls Royce Submarines Limited, who employ a large share of their 5000+ workforce in Derby, has significantly increased its demand for skilled labour at levels 4/5/6. It established a Nuclear Skills Academy in 2022, working in partnership with the University of Derby and Derby City Council, recruiting over 200 Apprentices in each year of operation since.12
• In 2023 Government announced that Great British Railways will have its headquarters in Derby and more recently a GBR transition team has started working from the city.
These significant developments will help to address challenges that face the local economy and local communities. Employment growth in the local area has not kept pace with national growth. The level of economic activity is below the national average and the local area has comparatively low productivity. Ten percent of the population have no qualifications. EMCCA, Local Authorities, community learning organisations, FE colleges and other stakeholders all identify economic disparities, multi-generational workless households, a lack of internet access and poor public transport (particularly east to west travel, and within rural areas), as hindrances to skills acquisition.
Education and training delivery
A multiplicity of developments has contributed to a significant strengthening of the local area’s technical education and training delivery infrastructure in recent times. These include:
• As a direct result of the priorities identified in the LSIP, the local area has benefitted from £6.6 million of Local Skills Investment Fund (LSIF) resource13. Eight local colleges and training organisations led by Derby College (Digital Skills), Nottingham College (Net Zero) and RNN (Essential Skills), have utilised the funding to directly address the major themes of the LSIP. By March 2025, LSIF capital investment has provided new technology and facilities to better train local learners in line with the LSIP’s most pressing priorities. New programmes are now well established, along with the upskilling of teaching staff to deliver these programmes and integrate technologies commonly used by the local area’s businesses.
• The provision of STEM (technical) education at levels 3-7 was enhanced with the East Midlands Institute of Technology (EMIoT). As part of the partnership, the University of Derby opened facilities in 2023 and Derby College in September 202414, providing higher technical programmes in advanced engineering, digital and advanced construction. The partners are working closely with employers including Rolls-Royce, Uniper, Toyota, National Grid ESO, Alstom, Fujitsu, and Bloc Digital to deliver world class, research orientated programmes with a focus on clean growth and digital delivery.
• Autumn 2024 saw the announcement of a £2m investment by East Midlands Freeport in the Future Energy Skills Hub focused on clean energy and manufacturing, led by East Midlands IoT through a partnership with business, colleges, and universities.
Since 2023 several major infrastructure projects at the local area’s FE Colleges and Universities have taken place with associated programmes in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, construction, green energy, digital, motor vehicle and health and social care. Examples include:
• In 2024 the RNN Group opened a new T Level Centre at North Notts College in Worksop, with state-of-the-art facilities supporting delivery in construction, nursing, and digital T Level programmes.
• Ashfield District Council and West Notts College are using £4m from the Towns Fund to convert a former retail store into a modern centre for construction and green skills by September 2025.
• In early 2025 Derby College opened state-ofthe-art automotive workshop facilities utilising immersive technologies. By giving employers access to these facilities, Derby College has strengthened employer input to the design and delivery of its automotive curriculum.
• Nottingham College opened a new £6m Construction Skills Centre at Basford in early 2025, increasing capacity to meet growing demand for skilled workers in the sector. They also opened a new dedicated Automation and Robotics Centre plus a £2m Craft and Design Centre, to respond to the regional Creative and Design economic priority.
• To respond to demand for skilled workers in the adult care sector, Nottingham College opened a new £650k simulated hospital ward at its City Hub campus, intended to support growth in Health T Levels.
• In February 2025 Nottingham Trent University officially opened its new Construction and Engineering Lab in Mansfield. The lab will support the teaching of construction and engineering courses. Facilities include robotics, 3D printing, CNC machining, automation equipment, and sustainable construction and retrofit equipment.
• Chesterfield College has invested in a new construction training facility. Development has commenced on its new Advanced Manufacturing and Life Sciences building, utilising Further Education Capital Transformation Fund.
• The University of Nottingham in partnership with East Midlands Freeport, Research England and Loughborough University, has opened the Zero Carbon Innovation Centre at its Nottingham campus. It will deliver innovation in transport technology and green hydrogen production, both major regional priorities and sources of job growth.
• Construction has commenced on the Ashfield Automated Distribution and Manufacturing Centre, a £30m Towns Fund flagship project to accelerate the adoption, integration, and expansion of new automated technologies. West Notts College’s UK-first Gene Haas Centre for Advanced Manufacturing will sit adjacent to the ADMC, building on the college’s £2m investment in automation and robotics.
• In September 2024 Lincoln College Group opened its £16.4m Air and Space Institute in Newark, utilising £10.6m funding from the Newark Towns Fund. The project responds to skills shortages in the aviation and space sectors.
What has been achieved so far?
Employer and community skills needs
Through a variety of mechanisms including steering groups, attendance at events, surveys and one-toone dialogue with organisations, FSB has sustained engagement with a broad range of stakeholders including employers (such as via its regular quarterly local employer forums), local authorities and a range of further and higher education providers (including via the LSIP steering group). This has enabled FSB to gather evidence from stakeholder organisations regarding the progress they are making individually and collectively towards the LSIP priorities and detailed objectives.
Initially FSB undertook an extensive curriculum mapping exercise to track data on course starts across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, mapped against the LSIP’s main vocational and technical themes. This has informed meetings between FSB and key stakeholders which not only review progress against LSIP priorities, but also act as a source of further intelligence about employer skill needs. Meetings are continuing and the results analysed to ensure LSIP activities remain appropriate to the skills needs of the local area.
An employer informed skills system - further & higher education
There has been considerable integration of the LSIP priorities into the provision delivered by the local area’s independent training providers, FE colleges and HE institutions. All the area’s FE colleges have published Accountability Agreements and Statements (due to be revised by June 2025) and each of these directly reference the LSIP priorities, outlining how each college is contributing to LSIP delivery. Furthermore, all the local area’s FE colleges are rated as either good or outstanding by Ofsted and all have been judged to be making a reasonable or strong contribution towards meeting skills needs. There is demonstrable evidence of both further and higher education providers building ever closer relationships with employers, including using the latest data and market intelligence to develop new and update existing programmes. The active engagement of employers in both curriculum design and development as well as delivery is increasingly commonplace. The local area’s FE and HE providers sustain long term relationships with major employers including Rolls Royce, JCB, Toyota, Alstom, NHS trusts and local authorities. The development of shorter bite-sized provision has engaged more SMEs and micro businesses. Links have also been sustained with employer organisations and sector organisations such as CITB and Visit Peak District and Derbyshire (members of the LSIP Steering Group).
Recent examples of this include:
• RNN Group have developed Employer Academies to engage employers in the design and delivery of the curriculum. An example of this is their Construction Academy with Henry Boot.
• Derby Colleges partnership with all local NHS Trusts & their partners (ISS) and DWP in developing SWAPs and successfully recruiting for their hard to fill roles.
• Chesterfield College and Chesterfield Royal Hospital developed a programme to enhance the maths and digital skills of healthcare staff, which directly contributed to the College winning the 2025 Apprenticeship Provider of the Year award at the FE Week and AELP awards event.
The local area benefits from a substantial apprenticeship provider base delivering over 13,000 apprenticeship starts in 2024/25 among EMCCA residents. It is notable that seven of the ten largest apprenticeship providers in the area are locally based, with local colleges and universities comprising four of the top five largest across several priority sectors. This includes recent expansion in delivery by local universities (The University of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University, and the University of Derby) across multiple sectors and occupations, particularly health. All three universities were inspected in the previous 12 months by Ofsted as ‘Good’, including instances of ‘Outstanding’ apprenticeship provision.
A key dimension of the LSIP programme is to encourage closer collaboration and joint bidding amongst the local area’s FE colleges, universities, and key partners. As a direct consequence existing partnerships have been strengthened and broader collaborative arrangements enhanced.
The award of LSIF resources has enabled the creation of a FE Collaboration Group (strategic level steering board), to provide effective oversight of LSIF investment in accordance with LSIP priorities. While the project funding ended in March 2025, the group continues to meet regularly to discuss the local area’s ongoing skills needs. In addition, both further and higher education providers have been engaged with local authorities and employers to secure joint investments in the skills infrastructure utilising a range of funding streams including use of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the Towns Fund (noted above) and the DfE Strategic Investment Fund.
The adoption of the LSIP cross cutting themes of digital, net zero and essential skills has led to curriculum development and recognisable impact across a whole range of sectors and occupations, not least in construction, motor vehicle and health and social care. Substantial staff development activity has also taken place amongst teachers and trainers across all subject areas. As LSIF strand leaders Nottingham College and Derby College have supported the creation of Knowledge Exchange Hubs in the LSIP priority areas of digital and net zero, where small or medium-sized enterprises and micro businesses can experiment with new and innovative technologies; they also offer businesses programmes that support the acquisition of higher-level digital skills that bolster productivity and growth.
Importantly, the growing range and depth of relationships between employers and providers not only ensures the employer voice to inform the local skills system, but it also creates welcome spin-off benefits. For example, new placement opportunities for students have been identified via LSIF-funded activities.
Digital skills
As identified in the LSIP, digital technologies play a crucial role across all sectors and industries and employer demand for both general and specialised digital skills is accelerating.
There have been rapid developments in the scale and breadth of digital skills and computing programmes available in the local area, supported by strong collaboration between and amongst FE and HE providers from levels 1 to 7.
To meet specific employer needs micro courses and credentials have been developed within a growing number of programmes. This has enabled individuals to complete regular bite size training which is linked to their job role and will add value throughout their professional development across a range of digital competences. Programmes are now being developed and delivered in response to the rapid deployment and usage of AI by many organisations.
Utilising LSIF funding, Derby Colleges Group led the establishment of a Digital Skills Exchange Hub which comprises 24 local stakeholders. This group continues to meet regularly to review the digital skills needed by business. Twenty-seven employers have been involved in co-design, co-delivery, work experience and CPD. Similar knowledge exchange hubs have been established at other FE Colleges and HEIs.
All the Further Education colleges now offer at least one T Level in digital skills, software development, product design, or cyber security and networking. Several ITPs are offering apprenticeships in data analytics, network engineering and digital marketing. Career and educational progression pathways are being established with a deepening of existing partnerships between FE colleges and the universities. Examples of this include Derby College’s HTQ in Software Development, developed in conjunction with the University of Derby, and the Nottingham Trent University Digital Skills Forum.
Digital Skills are increasingly becoming integrated into all courses in a contextualised way to ensure learners are prepared to use the technology in their chosen field. Examples include using Virtual Reality at both Chesterfield College and Derby College. Students from a wide range of sector areas can learn in an immersive, agile, safe, and futuristic way. Skills around setting up the hardware, software and its impact on information retention have all improved. Nottingham College has invested in its immersive technologies, with an Immersive Room at Basford, a VR spray booth at Ruddington for auto-repair and VR welding. More than 4,000 students completed the ‘I am Digital’ skills programme in 2024/25, directly contributing to the LSIP priority to embed core digital competencies into all learning pathways.
Partnerships with other organisations, such as Inspire Learning, has also led to an increase in provision, with investment in its High Pavement site resulting in improved resources for its hospitality, catering and construction courses, as well as artificial intelligence and VR.
The theme of partnership working is also prevalent in the digital space. Examples include Chesterfield College’s partnership with Chesterfield Royal Hospital to offer digital courses to hospital staff, and West Nottinghamshire College’s partnership with Sherwood Forest Hospitals Foundation Trust and Nottingham College’s partnership with Boots to enhance study programmes.
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire have one of the largest clusters of creative industries outside London. In response to this Nottingham Trent University has invested in a brand-new building for Design & Digital Arts at City campus, with cutting-edge facilities enabling students and employer partners to engage in the growing creative industries. This is a new UK hub for film, animation, motion graphics, VFX, games design, graphic design and more.
Net zero
Significant progress towards the net zero objectives set out within the LSIP has been sustained with progress across four broad strands of activity:
• Investment in new facilities and the development of new programmes driven by a strategic approach in response to the LSIP net zero theme. The Green Productivity Hub, led by Nottingham College, was established and equipped utilising LSIF funding. A vital aspect of this has been engagement with employers to support the transition to net zero, particularly energy production, manufacturing, construction and electric or alternatively powered vehicles. The hubs have been designed to meet the needs of employers across the local area with distinct needs in each community.
• Embedding sustainability across broader subject areas.
• Developing the knowledge and skills of teachers and trainers.
• Through education and skills providers taking forward their own net zero sustainability strategies.
During the development stage of the LSIF funded Net Zero strand of investment, detailed research was undertaken to build on LSIP evidence about employers’ skills and training needs across a range of industries. This has helped to determine investment required in the Green Productivity Hub to support employers to transition to Net Zero. Nottingham Trent University created a roadmap of the current net zero offer; while CITB worked with 48 construction SMEs to identify the barriers to them adopting green technologies, which resulted in the development of new programmes, particularly around construction retrofit.
As a result of the priorities identified in the LSIP, and associated LSIF funding, training providers across the local area have strengthened their links with employers in all the priority areas.
Vaillant, the world-leading heating system manufacturer, has further developed its strategic partnership with Derby College delivering the UK’s first low carbon heating technician apprenticeships – taking a proactive approach to creating the skills needed to support decarbonisation of heating technologies.
Nottingham College utilised LSIF and other funding to build a new Green Skills Centre at its Basford campus, providing bespoke green and sustainable training courses that respond to LSIP prioritiesupskilling staff and helping companies future proof their businesses. Nine dedicated training bays have been created to allow students to develop skills in relation to the installation and maintenance of air source heat pumps, photovoltaic cells and retrofit technologies. This has also enabled the College to design and develop new accredited programmes. To support the transport and motor vehicle industries, LSIF investment has equipped the College with commercial and domestic vehicles which are fully electric, hybrid and hydrogen powered enabling students to develop skills across all types of vehicles. Working with a major employer they have also established the country’s first low carbon ‘spray booth’ enhancing their existing high-quality programmes. They have also equipped a commercial vehicle with equipment so that they can deliver programmes in a range of community settings, providing greater access.
Investments have been made at Chesterfield College to support their construction and motor vehicle programmes with a new construction centre opening in 2025. The College has also invested in brick crushing machinery, reducing the waste produced during brick laying courses and allowing this material to be recycled as an income stream for the college. In addition, the college has invested in ‘plastic bricks’ which are easily transportable and are being used in mobile demonstrators to promote career opportunities in construction.
At RNN Group a similar approach has been adopted with the creation of training bays to underpin construction and motor vehicle training, while West Notts College have also acquired older electric vehicles to support upskilling in the vehicle repair and maintenance sector. Derby College opened a new, state-of-the-art automotive workshop facility early in 2025 housing advanced automotive technologies and equipment.
Nottingham College has developed a wide range of green partnerships, for example with Baxi and EoN to grow and develop a commercial training offer to meet the rising demand for green skills across the construction and energy sectors. In addition, the college’s partnership with Elmhurst Energy provides retrofit provision at level 3, thereby creating a more distinct pathway for learners between level 1 and higher education, and significant investment has also been made in a range of green skills courses to meet the needs of the automotive industry in terms of Electric and Hybrid Vehicle maintenance15, 16
In their Accountability Statement Burton and South Derbyshire College set out how their ‘expansive and broad curriculum meets the skills needs identified in each LSIP. Indeed, recent investments and collaborative projects undertaken at our college have been specifically designed around LSIP priorities. These include (but are not limited to) the introduction of Hydrogen Fuel Cell, Electric and Hybrid Vehicle and Advanced Driver Assistance
System skills training; Photo Voltaic and Electric Vehicle technology within Construction; new hightech Health and Social Care training facilities; a green specialist hub within our construction provision; the further development of our ‘Skills Promise’ seeing soft skill development (based on sector need) embedded across our curriculum and a digital literacy programme, designed in conjunction with other colleges, delivered to all of our young people’.
In March 2025 Burton and South Derbyshire College launched its Advanced Automotive Training Centre (AATC) - a purpose-built facility designed to provide cutting-edge training in Hybrid/Electric Vehicle technology, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Hydrogen Vehicle systems, ensuring the local motor vehicle industry is prepared for decarbonisation and the increasing adoption of alternative fuel vehicles. Courses have been developed in collaboration with employers to address industry needs. The courses provide hands-on training using a fleet of modern vehicles. This led to BSDC becoming the first education provider in England to offer level 3 hydrogen fuel cell training.
Upskilling of teaching workforces has taken place across the local area, enabling staff to acquire the skills and knowledge to create and deliver new programmes focused on green technologies. Nottingham College, in partnership with the Carbon Literacy Trust, has delivered accredited training to over 200 staff across all subject areas – supporting the embedding of sustainability across all subject areas and, importantly, supporting employers with their net zero plans. An example of this is in hospitality, where new approaches to energy saving are being embedded in kitchen heat extraction systems.
Essential and transferrable skills
The LSIP priority to explore the implementation of a D2N2 wide skills framework to define consistent approaches to essential skills has been further progressed. Further research was undertaken by a consortium of eight education providers, in part utilizing LSIF funding, led by RNN Group. This gathered from employers and partners the top five Essential Skills by sector, based on the priorities identified in the LSIP and wider industries in the local area (in adult social care, construction, digital, transport and logistics, manufacturing, visitor economy, low carbon goods/services).
Approaches to the delivery of essential skills vary across the local area, but a collaborative approach has meant that there is a greater shared knowledge and understanding of each sector’s essential skills requirements. Whilst research approaches differed, the results were consistent. The top five Essential Skills identified by the LSIP selected sectors are:
• Teamworking
• Communication
• Digital
• Mental Health Resilience
• Problem Solving
Responding to LSIP priority 7, RNN Group has developed overarching information sheets to contextualise the sector-based employer guides regarding placements and the provision offer at each provider. The Group has also developed the Skills for Everyone framework following the research phase of the project. This structured approach gives all learners the opportunity to develop the essential skills employers seek and this is then recognised by employers in the local area.
While there is limited appetite from training providers for a standardised area-wide approach to essential and transferable skills, some providers have aligned themselves with national schemes, such as Vision West Nottinghamshire College, who integrated the Skills Builder Framework17 into their courses, while others have made significant investment in bespoke systems. Nottingham College has invested in its Future Ready skills framework – a comprehensive essential skills system that ranges from entry to level 3, with a structured, independently-managed system of measurement and recognition. Where these are being used, the views of employers have been considered during their development and care has been taken to communicate their meaning to the local area’s employer base. Providers are also taking into consideration the types of programmes they offer (e.g. T Levels, ASF, apprenticeships, bootcamps, SWAPs etc) and the types of learner (e.g. young people, adults, unemployed, those accessing ESOL) to adapt essential skills provision.
The Essential Skills project team at RNN have mapped existing qualifications and short courses delivered within the local area that address the essential skills that were identified by employers. This led to the development of an Essential Skills Matrix for the local area, ensuring a consistent approach, identifying current gaps in provision and partner coverage, thus enabling sharing of resource to address the need.
The essential skills group of providers have developed 20 short courses at level 3 to meet essential skills requirements in the local area. There have been over 600 enrolments on these courses to date in sectors such as digital, green skills, energy, health and wellbeing, manufacturing, and construction.
Providers have also used innovative approaches. Derby College collaborated with Bloc Digital (a design and modelling company) to co-create a collaborative app that enables an immersive, interactive experience designed to hone critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork skills. This was embedded and utilised within a number of further education programmes to give students an insight to emerging technologies whilst developing essential and meaningful life skills.
Employment and employability
Work is being undertaken by a range of partners to aid the broadening of the candidate search and highlight potential barriers to employment of those furthest from the labour market. These range from industry-specific schemes, such as those provided by Construction Industry Training Board18, to UK Government schemes19 20 21 and more localised initiatives to help targeted groups of people.22
The publication of the Get Britain Working White Paper marks a significant development in this policy area. EMCCA is leading a Get Britain Working Group for the local area, and FSB is a member. The colleges in the local area have been successful in securing £1.8m in DWP Youth Guarantee pilot funding – a further example of collaborative bidding (an LSIP Actionable Priority). Projects will be led by Nottingham College, Vision West Notts College and Chesterfield College and will test multi-agency approaches to tackle rising NEET levels across the local area.
The Careers Hub continues to develop its provision, with a range of events to strengthen the links between the education system and the world of work. Overall responsibility for the Hub has transferred to EMCCA, forming a key dimension of the adult skills strategy. Its ‘Teacher Encounters Programme’ gives educators the opportunity to engage directly with employers and discover how
their subject can be applied practically in business. The programme also enhances knowledge and understanding of pathways into employment, particularly technical and vocational routes such as apprenticeships and T-levels.
LSIF funding has enabled organisations such as Inspire Learning to reduce barriers to learning by providing IT equipment and hotspot dongles, so learners can access course materials and complete homework tasks off site. West Nottinghamshire College teamed up with local bus operators to offer discounted travel to students. The pass is free for those studying T-level qualifications, enabling students to attend their mandatory workplace placements without financial burden.
Rural Action Derbyshire’s ‘Wheels to Work’ scheme aims to provide transport solutions (such as CBT training and bicycles/electric bikes) to those furthest from the labour market23 where a straightforward public transport solution does not exist.
A project group was formed to address actionable priorities 13 and 17 from the LSIP. This examines the provision of training and resources to employers, especially small and medium-sized businesses, to aid them in broadening the candidate search to include those furthest from the labour market and highlighting where sources of support for mental health are available. An overview of the local area’s provision has been created, that includes internet resources and details of relevant schemes. A guide is nearing publication which provides employers with links to a wide range of published materials and organisations locally to support them in this work.
Social value
Progress has been made in assessing the extent of current social value agreements in public procurement and in sharing knowledge with employers with examples of good practice, albeit wider progress has been more limited. Chesterfield Borough Council (CBC) has developed a Skills Action Plan which includes actions to ensure that maximum added value is generated where major investments and projects are taking place locally (similar arrangements are in place in other local authority areas).
Taking forward the CITB Project Based Approach, CBC requires developers undertaking large scale projects to submit an Employment and Training Plan. To support this process, CBC has developed and published guidance to assist developers in preparing their submissions24. These plans are assessed to ensure they deliver social value outcomes and are reviewed by the Construction Skills Hub managed by Chesterfield College, to evaluate the proposed social value impact. Developers are further supported to make links via the Hub to relevant construction careers advice, education, and training provision (such as by ITPs, colleges and universities).
In partnership with CITB, work is progressing on further developing the National Skills Academy for Construction in the local area and specifically the application of benchmark KPIs for monitoring social value impact. Measures include apprenticeships, traineeships and work experience placements, including the development of ‘green skills’.
In February 2025 the provisions of the Procurement Act 2023 came into effect. EMCCA has adopted revised Contract Procurement Rules and has published a Social Value Framework which seeks to embed the principles of social value within all aspects of its procurement life cycle. Where social value is a requirement of the contract, they will require suppliers to report quantifiable social benefits. The framework intends to provide opportunities for SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) to bid for EMCCA contracts by offering support through training, workshops, and simplified processes. FSB has engaged with EMCCA to identify how this support might best be provided to employers.
What still needs to be achieved?
Considerable progress has been achieved in respect of the broader strategic aims and the detailed objectives set out in the LSIP. However in a changing operating environment, adaptations to the LSIP priorities will be required as change to sectoral and occupational priorities may emerge.
The establishment of EMCCA, including devolved responsibility for the Adult Skills Fund and joint ownership of the LSIP with the ERB, will require changes to the structures and mechanisms by which the stakeholders determine strategic and operational priorities. Sound relationships have already been established and in the coming months more detailed arrangements need to be developed.
The coming months will see Government publish its Industrial Strategy; EMCCA will publish its Local Growth Plan, building on its Local Growth Plan Economic Assessment evidence base. The expectation set out in the ASF Strategic Skills Plan is that the LSIP will play a significant role in identifying higher technical skills needed to improve regional productivity and meet skills gaps. This will require closer working with employers and training providers of all types. This includes in relation to the local and regional strategies and plans that providers respond to (local authority-led skills strategies; regional ASF Strategic Skills Plan; Get Britain Working Plan; LSIP) – minimising the risk of overlap and providing a clear set of priorities for providers and the skills system in the local area more broadly.
Growth in the scope and scale of employer engagement in the skills system is evident. Consequently, there are an ever-increasing number of interactions between employers, providers and stakeholders with associated information and intelligence gathering. Creating a more effective skills and employment system will require closer
collaboration amongst providers, between providers and employers, and with key stakeholders to harness this intelligence. In time, refinements will be required to ensure use of a more consistent and coherent evidence base of employer intelligence by providers – creating a common understanding of skills needs in the local area and the curriculum required in response.
Whilst many large employers can sustain this increased level of engagement it is more challenging for smaller employers and in many parts of the EMCCA area small and micro businesses predominate. Whilst progress is being made to simplify arrangements by which smaller SMEs and micro business can access the skills and employment system; this dimension remains a significant challenge for both employers and providers. This includes in relation to the LSIP itself, where FSB needs to continue to raise awareness amongst employers about the LSIP, the progress in delivering its priorities, and further enhance the flow of employer insight into skill needs.
As reported last year, positive steps are evident whereby providers have invested in both facilities and the curriculum to meet the local area’s skills gaps and shortages. However, there is still work to be done. Recruitment and retention of staff continues to be one of the major challenges facing both businesses across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire and for the training providers who support them. One area which merits further development is the capacity of the local area’s universities to support staff development in the FE/HE sector. For example NTU offer teacher training programmes including apprenticeships and can support college partners with upskilling new employees who are moving out of industry and into teaching.
Increased collaboration among providers is leading to a more coherent and coordinated approach to addressing existing and emerging skills gaps, exemplified in the way providers collaborated to plan and deliver the LSIF investment. A notable feature has been the formation of subject area provider networks that foster collective engagement with employer groups and collective professional development networks. This collaborative approach and associated activity need to be both sustained and widened across all subject areas.
The collaborative approach to LSIF resulted in more coherent use of capital and revenue funds, avoiding unnecessary duplication and enhancing existing specialisms. The challenge moving forward will be to sustain this approach across organisations. As EMCCA has identified in their approach to the procurement of ASF, this may involve the use of Accountability Statements for a wider group of providers. This may also lend itself to a wider strategic examination of the collective response of skills providers to identify gaps and weaknesses in the current skills system. Work should be undertaken by FSB to analyse the content of colleges’ refreshed accountability statements (available from summer 2025), to check whether minor amendments to LSIP actionable priorities and activities are required.
For some sectors and occupations partnerships between further and higher education providers are being enhanced to address skills gaps and shortages in technical skills at levels 4/5/6 with the establishment of effective progression routes. The local area is also at the heart of a number of strategic developments for the UK economy, especially in relation to energy and green technologies. Whilst vocational skills programmes and apprenticeships at these levels are increasing, further work is required to develop coherent technical skills progression routes across a broader range of occupations.
As reported last year it is vital that the local area’s employers continue to be made aware of, and be at
the heart of, initiatives to inspire the next generation and address future skills needs. It is important that simple and actionable next steps are provided for employers to promote their early engagement with the education sector and help develop talent pipelines. The development and growth of T Levels is one such example where employer engagement has clearly increased but all providers report how challenging it remains to find work experience placements. Small and medium-sized businesses need support in understanding the benefits of engagement with their future workforces and how they might engage with national schemes such as the Employer Standards Framework. Further development of the Careers Hub and the number of employers actively engaging in these type of initiatives remains a priority.
Essential Skills
As reported, the development of a single EMCCAwide skills framework has proved challenging but significant progress is being made in different parts of the local area to meet the needs of different communities.
A single coherent framework for essential and transferable skills has not been realised to the extent first envisaged in the LSIP. This is an actionable priority of the LSIP which has been identified by EMCCA as requiring further consideration and development. In taking forward initiatives such as Get Britain Working it is vital that the needs and requirements of employers are at the core of developments, ensuring that clear employment pathways are established and support is available to employers in ensuring that individuals return to work on a sustainable basis.
Social Value Agreements
Whilst some progress has been made in engaging employers and employer organisations in progressing social value agreements, this is most obvious in the construction sector in relation to major developments. FSB will seek to work with both EMCCA and other large public sector organisations including local authorities, NHS Trusts, universities and colleges on their Social Value Framework and importantly in developing effective ways to support SMEs and smaller businesses to engage with public procurement opportunities.
What Still Needs to be Done: Actionable Priorities (AP)
Next Steps:
AP1: Sustaining the Digital Exchange Hub meetings, allowing employers and training providers to discuss current and future skills needs in the area.
AP2 and AP3: Digital Hub team to continue to review skills needs and facilitate the provision of appropriate courses, incorporating labour market information working with all types of providers including further and higher education.
AP4: Continued Green Skills Exchange Hub meetings, allowing employers and training providers to discuss current and future skills needs in the area.
AP5: Sustaining and encouraging peer-to-peer networks to facilitate knowledge exchange.
AP6: Dialogue with EMCCA to consider the most appropriate options to develop a more coherent pan regional approach to establish a coherent framework for transferable and essential skills.
AP10: Regular meetings of the FE Collaboration Group, with a view to working collaboratively to respond to major strategic developments and to expand the provision of technical skills programmes at levels 4&5 developing further pathways into higher education.
AP11: Continued engagement with employers to increase understanding of relevant standards and provide feedback.
AP12: Training providers will continue to work together to explore and action innovative ways of attracting industry professionals into the teaching profession and to involve more employers in design and delivery of learning programmes.
AP13 and AP17: Following the collation of relevant local provision, the project group will continue to meet and examine the best way to publish the guide, so that information can effectively cascade to employers and other relevant bodies.
AP14: Careers Hub will continue to develop its provision to enable students to encounter a range of careers options as early as possible in their lives.
AP15: Work with EMCCA to support employers to meet the social value requirements of public procurement and to encourage SMEs and micro businesses to engage. Form and organise a project group of appropriate professionals to take forwards.
AP16: Following publication of EMCCA’s growth and skills strategies, work with training providers to consider the extent to which the local area’s skills system is meeting sectoral priorities and to establish priorities for investment.
AP18: ERB to continue to meet with project groups to discuss partnerships and monitor progress.
Annexes
Priorities and actions roadmap (Annex A)
1. Promote and communicate (and develop if necessary) the area’s existing digital skills offer to employers more widely and work with colleges and ITPs (in consultation with D2N2 LEP, BROs and/or similar partners) to assess the effectiveness.
Establishment of a Digital Skills Exchange Hub. Consult with a range of employers and other stakeholders to identify and understand specific digital skills requirements. Provide training to upgrade Digital Literacy Skills to staff and students.
• FE Collaboration Group (Oversight)
• Business Representation Organisations
• Colleges – Hub Lead Derby Colleges Group
• D2N2 LEP / MCCA
• ITPs
• Employers
• Careers Advisors
From Q1 2024 and is ongoing.
LSIF - Establishment of a Digital Skills Exchange Hub. Use of the ‘hub and spoke’ model to encourage collaborative working and share knowledge.
LSIF KPI Monitoring. Quarterly meetings with updates / reports to ERB and Stage 2 LSIP Steering Group. In Progress
Digital Skills Exchange Hub Established (Project Lead: DCG).
Consultation with employers/stakeholders complete. A range of digital skills identified. Relevant skills have been integrated into courses from September 2024.
The project has established the collaboration and knowledge exchange infrastructure and communications that enable the proposed hub and spoke model, where FECs, HEIs and employers collaborate to exchange knowledge and build meaningful alliances that benefit the whole area by bringing employers needs and skills provision closer together.
Led by DCG, the colleges are currently engaged with employers linked to the Digital curriculum area in a variety of activities including: Co-design, codelivery, work experience, projects and CPD offer (e.g. Bloc Digital support T Level industry placements, contribute to Digital Industry Week activities and co-design short courses in programming language skills).
Production of a Roadmap underway.
Significant developments across most subject areas have led to the development of new and expanding programmes. examples include:
• All FE Colleges offering at least one T Level in digital & computing
• Increased range of Apprenticeships
• Development of micro credentials programmes
Examples of provider developments include:
The RNN Group has established a new T Level Centre including Digital. West Notts College has worked closely with 10 identified specialist employers in the development of two T-Level offerings for 2024/25. The college will use its partnership with Nottingham Trent University to map digital skills pathways from L3-L7.
Nottingham College has partnered with Boots, through its Careers Enterprise Advisor Programme, which led to teachers working directly with Boots IT department to upskill, assess the suitability of curriculum models and facilitate student visits as part of their Study Programme.
Priority Action/Activity / Milestone Partners involved Timescales Method of implementation and outcomes expected Monitoring arrangements Progress Status
2. Integrate a digital component into relevant post16 vocational programmes, apprenticeships and AEB vocational courses, where not already present.
3. Assess the volume and take up of digital skills online/short course programmes against relevant occupations, or introduce where not present.
Integrate Digital Skills in education. Each course should have a digital aspect to help individuals gain a comprehensive understanding of digital tools and how they can be applied in a variety of settings.
• FE Collaboration Group (Oversight)
• Business Representation Organisations
• Colleges –Curriculum Leads
• D2N2 LEP/ EMCCA
• ITPs
• Employers
• Careers Advisors
From Q1 2024 and is ongoing.
Digital Skills Exchange Hub meetings.
Updates/reports to ERB and Stage 2 LSIP Steering Group. One to one meetings with providers.
Quarterly meetings with updates / reports to ERB and Stage 2 LSIP Steering Group. One to one meetings with providers.
In Progress
Development and delivery of Micro credentials accreditation across a range of digital competencies. These include:
• Learning in the Digital Era
• IT software fundamentals
• Using IT to increase productivity
• Essential digital skills
Substantial ‘bootcamp’ provision evident from a range of local providers in all priority areas.
Example of a provider embedding digital skills across a range of subject areas is Chesterfield College:
• The use of VR technology embedded into most sector areas.
• Partnership with Focus XR who create real working simulation learning resources for all sector areas
• Recent purchase of an Anatomage Table for technologically advanced 3D anatomy training for employers and students.
• Digital Employer Forum had been held with future membership established for future collaboration.
At West Notts College the essential digital skills offering has been revised for digital skills training for both 2023/24 and is now embedded into all study programme with young people and adults, learning at a level and scope relevant for the curriculum. This was further enhanced in 2024/25. Several adult programmes have been developed as part of the offering this includes the inclusion of digital skills within their wider offer to employers.
Nottingham College launched a college-wide digital skills programme called ‘I am Digital’. In 2024/25, more than 4,000 students completed this as part of their college induction, directly contributing to the LSIP priority to embed core digital competencies into all learning pathways.
4. Develop and implement industry specific “Achieving Net Zero” online/ workshop-based programmes for staff and managers, with a focus on relevant occupations.
Improve understanding of climate literacy for both students in the education system and places of work.
Produce a roadmap of the local area’s existing Net Zero offer and develop peer-to-peer networks.
• FE Collaboration Group (Oversight)
• Business Representation Organisations
• Colleges – Hub Lead Nottingham College
• ITPs
From Q1 2024 - and is ongoing.
LSIF - Establishment of a Green Skills Exchange Hub. Project lead Nottingham College.
Use of the ‘hub and spoke’ model to encourage collaborative working and share knowledge.
LSIF KPI Monitoring. Quarterly meetings with updates / reports to ERB and Stage 2 LSIP Steering Group.
Strong Progress
Nottingham College
Aligned with its sustainability goals, the college launched the ‘Zero’ campaign in December 2023, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2030. As part of this initiative, 400 trees were planted at the Basford campus to enhance biodiversity and offset carbon emissions. The college has established a ‘Green Group’, that acts as a forum for developing and sharing best practice in relation to environmental and sustainability challenges across the organisation. The Group monitors targets on energy, water, waste reduction, and other environmental/sustainability areas (e.g. procurement).
In addition, staff across the college are undertaking certified sustainability training through the Carbon Literacy Project.
Nottingham College offers a range of courses through its LSIF funded Green Skills Centre, focusing on areas such as electric vehicle charging installations, heat pump systems, and solar photovoltaic systems.
They have also developed basic climate change and environmental sustainability courses in the form of an ‘Understanding Climate Change and Environmental Awareness (NCFE Level 2 Certificate) Part-time course and an online ‘Understanding Environmental Sustainability (TQUK Level 2 Certificate) (19+)’.
Nottingham Trent University
NTU is advancing sustainability in the construction sector through the Centre for Sustainable Construction and Retrofit.
Priority Action/Activity / Milestone Partners involved Timescales Method of implementation and outcomes expected Monitoring arrangements
5. Collaborate to produce a roadmap of the local area’s existing Net Zero offer and develop peer-to-peer networks.
Produce a roadmap of the local area’s existing Net Zero offer and develop peer-to-peer networks.
• FE Collaboration Group
• Business Organisations
• Colleges
• D2N2 LEP / EMCCA
• ITPs
• Employers
• Careers Advisors
From Q1
2024 and is ongoing.
In Progress
Nottingham Trent University was commissioned to undertake research in net zero jobs and the existing skills pathways into each of them. Report produced and published.
Peer-to-peer networks have been developed through the Green Productivity Hubs model.
LSIF KPI Monitoring. Quarterly meetings with updates / reports to ERB and Stage 2 LSIP Steering Group.
In Progress
The Knowledge Ladder (Lincoln College)
Produced a research report that drew on Labour Market Intelligence and demographic data to show projected job growth, by green industry, by geographic area. This informed the approach of each Green Skills Hub, to ensure that the offer was aligned to new and emerging demand across green industries.
Nottingham Trent University
Produced a ‘Green Skills and Careers in Construction and Retrofit within the East Midlands’ report that mapped provision, identified new and emerging skills demands and suggested areas of focus and investment.
NTU established peer-to-peer network events designed to encourage collaboration and knowledge exchange. The “Building our Future” event brought together policy makers, business leaders, academics, and students to collectively understand the scale of the Net Zero challenge and co-create solutions.
As part of these efforts, NTU facilitated the formation of an Educators forum. This group assessed local skills provision challenges and opportunities, while also drafting terms of reference for a retrofit training provider education forum. This forum operated in parallel with the employers’ forum, ensuring a coordinated approach to skills development that met industry needs.
CITB
CITB carried out a research project and engaged member employers on the quality and suitability of existing provision, matched against current and speculated demand.
The
College Partnership
The Green Project produced the following outputs:
• 13 new level 3 green courses
• 7 new level 4 green courses
• 24 new green training spaces created
• A forecast of 632 new students engaged across the facilities created
• 31 employers introduced to new green equipment
• 41 employers releasing staff to undertake green training
• 71 employers reporting that the green training is giving students the required skills
• 71 teaching staff undertook CPD or benefited from cascaded training
• 10 teaching staff delivering provision across more than one provider
Nottingham College
Developed a range of new green and sustainable technologies provision, mapped to local identified need. This included the launch of a new Green Skills Centre that offers regulated and non-regulated provision in electric vehicle charging installations, heat pump systems, and solar photovoltaic systems. These programmes are designed to upskill individuals and support businesses transitioning to sustainable technologies.
The college has also significantly decarbonised its automotive training offer, with the introduction of courses in electric, hybrid and hydrogen vehicles.
West Notts College
Developed a new aircon and heat pump apprenticeship programme that has provided opportunities for learners to progress to the apprenticeship with 50+ starts and 40+ more planned. There is significant continued demand. The project also has helped to create a strong partnership with Daikin one of the world leaders in heat pumps.
The inclusion of hybrid and electric technology into full time and apprenticeship programmes is making students more attractive to employers as the student can bring an enhanced knowledge into the workplace.
RNN Colleges
The LSIF Green Skills Programme has significantly impacted skill levels in Bassetlaw, primarily within the crucial sectors of renewable energy and energy efficiency. The programme’s design focused on delivering practical and theoretical knowledge to equip learners for the growing demands of the green economy. This was achieved through two distinct but complementary courses: a technical course and a non-technical course.
The non-technical course played a vital role in providing learners with essential practical skills (installation and maintenance of heat pumps and solar power systems), as well as a broader understanding of energy efficiency principles, including calculating potential energy savings and determining the financial viability of installations.
The technical course provided foundational training in renewable energy technologies including, heat pump systems, solar energy (both PV and thermal), and battery storage. The course also covered essential industry knowledge, such as the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) and the role of the Distribution Network Operator (DNO).
Priority Action/Activity / Milestone Partners involved Timescales Method of implementation and outcomes expected Monitoring arrangements
Inspire
Have established a new learning facility. This new facility has included new workshops (e.g. a brick workshop; a carpentry and joinery workshop and a training kitchen). The brick workshop includes a section (alongside the carpentry and joinery workshop) which is teaching 16 to 18 and adult (i.e. 19 +) learners about the installation and operation of solar panels. The training kitchen is making use of the latest energy saving technologies in both refrigeration and in ovens and hobs.
Newark College
The Green Skills Hub project has successfully launched, providing students with access to sustainability-focused education, hands-on training, and career support in green industries. The Hub integrates green skills into the curriculum, offers state-of-the-art facilities, and has established strong partnerships with industry and community stakeholders. The Hub is now fully operational and positioned as a scalable model to support the green economy and prepare young people for sustainable careers.
Derby College
Have focused on the development of automotive training, along with heating and solar panels through the purchase of:
• Industrial 3d Printers
• Hydrogen Vehicles from Toyota
• Carbon capture software
• SMART Heating controls and training rigs for use with Ground & Air Source Heat pumps
• High powered laptops to run CAD and other industry standard construction software.
• CNC machines
• Solar Panel and Solar Thermal training rigs
This has enhanced the apprenticeship offer significantly, along with providing progression routes from non-accredited programmes, through to Level 3 new provision in Installation and Maintenance of Small Solar Photovoltaic Systems
Priority Action/Activity / Milestone Partners involved Timescales Method of implementation and outcomes expected Monitoring arrangements
6. Explore the implementation of a D2N2 wide skills framework to define consistent approaches to essential skills system, offering examples of what employers can expect at each level. Develop and implement an employer-driven competency framework for essential and transferable skills.
• FE Collaboration Group
• ITPs
• Business organisations
• Local Authorities and Community learning providers
• Futures
Q1 2024 to Q2 2025.
Essential Skills Project Group formed. (Project Lead: RNN Group).
7. Providers to co-produce a comprehensive guide that explains placement requirements for all vocational courses, and what employers can expect or contribute as part of the placements.
Develop a sub-region wide, employer driven D2N2 Employability Passport that recognises individual achievement of key essential skills, which is recognised across the locality and holds value with industry. Increase pre-16 engagement to teach basic employability skills that they can focus on for work readiness.
• FE Collaboration Group
• ITPs
• Business organisations
• Local Authorities and Community learning providers
• Futures
From Q1 2024 to Q2 2026.
Essential Skills Project Group formed. (Project Lead: RNN Group.
Continued meetings of the Essential Skills Project Group. LSIP Steering group. Regular feedback from localised mixed methods research between team members and their local employer base. Examine the current detail of bootcamp provision and establish courses to fill any gaps that exist.
Continued meetings of the Essential Skills Project Group.
Progress Status
In Progress
Essential Skills Project Group formed. (Project Lead: RNN Group). Mixed methods research carried out by members of the project team across the local area. Established LSIP skills needs were largely still appropriate.
LSIF Project Team Research
Information gathered from employers at, for example, quarterly forums, to establish whether skills identified in the LSIP as being in-demand are still appropriate. ERB has also undertaken email marketing campaign to discuss skills neds with employers.
Partial progress
The Group has worked to develop overarching information sheets to contextualize the comprehensive guides for vocational sectors regarding placement and provision offer held by each provider.
8. Develop and implement a common employability/essential skills framework for all AEB and Boot Camp programmes.
• FE Collaboration Group
• ITPs
• Business organisations
• Local Authorities and Community learning providers
• Futures
Q1 2024 to Q2 2025.
Essential Skills Project Group formed. (Project Lead: RNN Group).
Continued meetings of the Essential Skills Project Group.
Limited Progress
RNN Group, as the lead for the employability / essential skills project strand, developed the Skills for Everyone framework following the research phase of the project. This structured approach gives all learners the opportunity to develop the Essential Skills employers are looking for and this is then recognized by employers in the wider region.
Other providers have invested in programmes such as Skills Builder to assess and accredit learners. Other examples include embedding transferable skills into T Level programmes and Apprenticeships.
ERB to continue dialogue with EMCCA to consider the most appropriate options to develop a more coherent pan regional approach to establish a coherent framework for transferable and essential skills.
In the construction sector CITB have supported AEB and Boot camp projects largely as a result of funding available in the sector and have worked with a range of providers to embed essential skills within construction training.
9. Develop and implement an essential skills short course programme for employed staff. Map the local area’s existing qualifications and short courses that address the Essential Skills identified by employers.
Develop a D2N2 Essential Skills Matrix, based on the above.
• FE Collaboration Group
• Business organisations
Q1 2024 to Q2 2025.
Essential Skills Project Group formed. (Project Lead: RNN Group).
Continued meetings of the Essential Skills Project Group.
In
Progress
The Group has led upon the Employment and Essential Skills project strand, working with a range of providers from across the local area. Through this project the provider partnership developed 20 Level 3 short courses which address sector specific essential skills in the following areas;
• Digital
• Green Skills
• Power Skills
• Health and Wellbeing
• Manufacturing
• Construction
By the end of the first LSIF funding year 2023/24 388 learners enrolled on to the courses and a further 284 during the first half of year 2.
10. Explore/increase collaborative bidding and delivery partnership with the areas’s FE colleges, universities, and key partners.
The local area’s seven FE colleges should work together to bid for funding.
Form a D2N2 FE Collaboration Group consisting of senior leaders from partner organisations, LSIP representatives, and local stakeholders to provide strategic oversight of the projects linked to LSIP actionable priorities.
Appoint Project Managers to lead individual projects and ensure effective co-ordination and implementation.
11. Actively review employer standards with employers when negative feedback received.
Work with them to articulate what (if anything) is wrong/ missing or needs to be added. Providers can add content locally and report content for removal to IFATE but removal from a standard locally is not possible.
Co-design courses with local employers to sense check the provision of training, e.g., myth busting around construction and engineering roles.
• FE Collaboration Group
• Colleges
• ITPs Q3 2023 to Q3 2024. Establishment of an FE collaboration group.
FE Collaboration Group monitoring. LSIF KPIs. Quarterly meetings with updates / reports to ERB and Stage 2 LSIP Steering Group.
Completed with ongoing action
FE collaboration group formed and active. Project Managers in place for individual projects. Whilst LSIF funded programmes ended in March 2025 there is clear evidence of ongoing commitment and arrangements to sustain collaborative working.
In addition, FE Colleges and HEIs have worked alongside local authorities to support applications to utilise a range of funding sources including UKSPF and Towns Funding.
There is also increased evidence of FE Colleges partnering with HEIs. An example of this is NTU supporting Nottingham College’s Strategic Development Fund programme where NTU provided economic intelligence and skills data in key areas, including:
• Lifesciences and digital
• The construction sector
• Other sectoral analysis
• FE Collaboration Group
• Colleges
• ITPs
• Employers
From Q1 2024 - and is ongoing.
FE Collaboration Group Overview. Review with employer engagement groups.
FE Collaboration Group monitoring. Feedback from research.
Completed
Significant employer engagement has been completed and this is ongoing. Working groups established and partnerships between employers and providers are evident. ERB has engaged an email marketing company to undertake an LSIP awareness campaign.
The Digital Knowledge Exchange Hubs Project led by Derby Colleges Group (DCG) focuses on the reported employer needs and actionable priorities of Digital Skills within the LSIP. Employers have advised on design of the curriculum to support local employer needs and have advised when standards are no longer fit for purpose.
As part of the LSIF DSEH project colleges consulted with a range of employers to further understand the skills needs within the local and national Digital Skills landscape.
West Notts College has active employer panels for each of its curriculum areas that meet to consider the fit of curriculum to meet their needs, this includes apprenticeships.
Priority Action/Activity / Milestone Partners involved Timescales Method of implementation and outcomes expected Monitoring arrangements
12. Develop a collaborative initiative to increase the supply of teachers/ trainers in priority occupations and review/ improve their training if needed. An area approach could be advantageous.
Support closer industry teacher collaboration including secondments from industry and shared industrial teaching support across provision where there are shortages in specialist staff and where industry is changing rapidly.
• Employers
• FE Collaboration Group
• Colleges
• ITPs
• Employer organisations
Q1 2024 and is ongoing.
FE Collaboration Group Overview. Appropriate initiatives at a local level.
Quarterly meetings with updates / reports to ERB and Stage 2 LSIP Steering Group.
In Progress
Colleges are engaging in several different schemes in a drive to recruit specialist teachers. Despite being in the early stages, positive signs of the impact of these ‘grow your own’ models, in areas such as construction, are evident. Examples of the types of initiatives underway include:
CITB
Industry Impact Fund allowed the creation of a funding pot for trainers and assessors ‘per project,’ came directly out of the LSIP research and enabled solutions to be implemented as a result.
NTU
NTU collaborates closely with local schools, academies, and FE colleges to develop teacher training programmes that address the demand for educators in mathematics, sciences, computing, and various FE vocational fields. Their Apprenticeship option also enables ‘new’ teachers and trainers to access teaching qualifications.
Inspire are working with West Notts College on construction to develop the provision capacity to meet growing learner demand in this area. Current limitations on space and teaching staff, working on delivering comprehensive package with limited workforce utilizing DfE supplementary salary packages.
13. Develop recruitment and etention packs and/ or workshops for employers, especially SMEs, to aid broadening candidate search. Utilise the skills of existing students to deliver.
17. Offer short courses to employers that highlight barriers to employment for marginalised groups and those furthest from the labour market in priority occupations and provide training for employers, accordingly, highlighting where possible mental health support.
Encourage changes to employers’ approaches to recruitment to make it easier to recruit those furthest from the market and marginalised groups. Job adverts need to be more inclusive and accessible. Increase employment prospects for marginalised groups. Employers to explore opportunities to hire people with disabilities.
• ERB
• CITB
• Aspire
• B Global
• Nottingham Universities
• FE and HE
• Employers – to aid design
• DWP
Q2 2024 to Q2 2025. Establishment of a project team with a range of local stakeholders.
Mapping of existing provision to identify gaps.
Project team reporting to LSIP Steering Group.
In Progress
Project team lead by ERB established (to address AP 13 and 17) in 2024. Mapping exercise of local provision completed. The Team is currently looking into the best way to disseminate information gathered to employers and wider stakeholders. Some challenges around resourcing need to be overcome.
NTU led a partnership of providers consisting of FE Colleges the University of Derby and Nottingham City Council to deliver a project which undertook 800+ skills needs analyses of SMEs across the local area providing valuable insights into local SME growth plans and approaches to recruitment and selection.
17. Efforts being made via the Youth Guarantee Trailblazer and other provision to create pathways for disadvantaged groups in Nottingham / Nottinghamshire, particularly young people with mental health challenges, into FE, through the provision of high quality CIAG and funding for flexible course delivery over 8-12 weeks. Being led by a partnership of the 4 FE Colleges in the County plus Futures. ERB also involved in discussions on this.
Priority Action/Activity / Milestone Partners involved Timescales
14. Further develop the Careers Hub and similar services and communicate their existence more widely.
Establish a skills hub/centre within the local area.
Establish a one stop shop for upskilling, can provide many services that can be accessed by anyone at any stage of their career.
An online community that could also be formed in conjunction with the LSIP could be a place where the good work that has already been happening across the geography is stored (e.g., D2N2 careers hub).
• Careers Enterprise Company
Q4 2024 to Q2 2025.
• Business representation organisations (B6)
• D2N2 LEP / EMCCA
Method of implementation and outcomes expected Monitoring arrangements
D2N2 Careers Hub – collaborative initiatives with schools and employers.
Measurement against Gatsby benchmarks.
Updates / reports to ERB and Stage 2 LSIP Steering Group.
One to one meeting with providers.
Progress Status
In Progress
Planned work includes further discussions with ERB and the Careers Hub and EMCCA to further engage increased numbers of employers.
CITB have developed further their Go Construct career offer added to the Careers Hub with an online careers service now added to online marketing hub.
Priority Action/Activity / Milestone Partners involved Timescales Method of implementation and outcomes expected Monitoring arrangements
15. Assess the extent of current social value agreements in public procurement and work collaboratively with Local Authorities to develop further and share knowledge with employers.
Work to understand social value commitments. For example, major projects often have large social value commitments around contractors and suppliers hiring apprentices but how are training providers linked into this to understand need, pipeline etc.
• EMCCA
• ERB
• Local Councils
Q3 2024 to Q2 2026.
LSIP sub-group. LSIP Steering Group meetings with Las and EMCCA. In Progress
Whilst a concerted area wide approach has not yet been developed there are examples of effective action. The ERB is in contact with individual local authorities and EMCCA and in the second quarter of 2025 will liaise with EMCCA to develop a plan to engage employers in the opportunities afforded through the social value component of public procurement and to work with local authorities and providers.
An example of this is where Chesterfield Borough Council has produced guidance to support developers in demonstrating a social value component of planned development whereby developers are required to produce a Skills and Employment action plan when submitting planning proposals.
This builds on the social value approach of the CITB’s National Skills Academy for Construction (NSAC).
16. Define a set of key occupations that require people to be upskilled. For example, junior people already in the digital sector, could help fill shortages in cyber roles, by upskilling, rather than looking for new people to move into the roles which will require a greater lead time. Providers then focus on the training that enable people to be upskilled.
18. Seek opportunities to partner with groups such as Youth Social Action to develop transferable skills for T-Levels and apprenticeships. As transferable skills built into work placements assist employers with creation.
Support progression in the workplace.
Offer workforce development and succession planning to employers to support retention and progression.
• FE Collaboration Group
• Colleges
• ITPs
• Enterprise & Careers Company Careers Advisors
From Q4 2023 and is ongoing.
Employer voice. LSIP/LSIF Research Projects.
LSIP Steering Group reports. In Progress
Whilst progress is being made in meeting employer digital skills gaps to meet existing skills shortage gaps and shortages this is fast moving environment. Providers are developing and refining programmes as well as developing micro credentials to meet employer needs.
Examples include Nottingham College where extensive work, ranges across Digital, Health and Social, Engineering, Care and Construction. Key output includes SOC code analysis, the outcomes of which will inform the revised & updated Accountability Statement.
At NTU the university is working with a very large cluster of SMEs & micro employers in the creative and digital sector to develop short programmes which meet their needs.
Consider place specific experiences shared by all vocational leaders that build employability skills such as team building, resilience, and planning.
• ERB
• Local authorities (upper tier)
• DWP
• ITPs Q1 2024 to Q2 2026. Establishment of collaboration groups. See also APs.
Reports to LSIP Steering Group.
Further Action Required
Effective progress has been made in embedding transferable skills into major programmes such as T Levels and Apprenticeships.
Providers are also encouraging and supporting learners to develop their transferable skills when undertaking work placements. An example of this is Nottingham College which has won awards for work with Youth Social Action, several ongoing projects, with many study projects incorporated into courses and Youth Social Action apprentice onsite.
5 D2N2
6 East Midlands devolution deal. Policy Paper: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eastmidlands-devolution-deal/east-midlands-devolution-deal
7 https://www.eastmidlands-cca.gov.uk/content/uploads/2025/01/EMCCA-ASF-STRATEGIC-SKILLSPLAN_FINAL.pdf
8 https://step.ukaea.uk/
9 https://www.visitleicester.info/invest/news/read/2023/09/east-midlands-freeport-the-uks-only-inlandfreeport-b334
10 https://www.great.gov.uk/international/content/investment/opportunities/east-midlands-freeport/
11 https://www.eastmidlands-cca.gov.uk/what-we-do/east-midlands-investment-zone/
12 Rolls-Royce-to-power-Australian-submarines
13 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-skills-improvement-fund-lsif-lead-providers-2023to-2025/lead-applicants-for-lsif-by-region
14 https://www.derby.ac.uk/news/2023/first-east-midlands-institute-of-technology-site-opens-in-derby/
15 https://www.nottinghamcollege.ac.uk/about-us/news/nottingham-college-unveils-electric-vehicletraining-courses-to-future-proof-the-automotive-sector
16 https://www.nottinghamcollege.ac.uk/about-us/news/nottingham-college-goes-green-with-2-6millionfunding-for-decarbonisation-roll-out
17 https://www.skillsbuilder.org/
18 https://www.citb.co.uk/levy-grants-and-funding/grants-and-funding/
19 https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work
20 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/restart-scheme
21 https://www.gov.uk/work-health-programme
22 https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/business/disability-employer-engagement-derbyshire/disabilityemployer-engagement-derbyshire-deed.aspx
23 https://www.wheelstowork.org/
24 local-labour-guidance-for-developers.pdf
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