Colleges secure £6m funding to respond to employers’ skills needs

Date: 22 January 2024

East Surrey College are excited to continue to be apart of the LSIF project where we support local people into work.

Colleges and Universities across Hampshire and Surrey are set to work together to better support the skills needs of the local economy and labour market.

The Government’s Local Skills Improvement Fund project will offer more training opportunities in priority skills areas identified by local businesses and employers – giving them access to the skilled workforce they need to grow and prosper.

Building on previous collaborative activity, the project will help provide equipment and skills training needed in key sectors and in response to urgent calls from business for skills that are vital across the whole economy.

The £6 million project is being carried out with the full support of Surrey and Hampshire Chambers of Commerce, alongside Surrey and Hampshire County Councils and other business networks, to help ensure local residents and businesses can access high-quality, technical education and training that meets local future skills.

The project will focus on:

CreaTech: Investments in two new, state-of-the-art media production spaces to help respond to skills needs following recent growth in the gaming & immersive technologies and film & television sectors.

Advanced manufacturing, engineering and construction: High value jobs in these sectors help us journey towards a low carbon economy. New facilities such as a Passive Low Carbon Technologies Centre, Welding and an Electronics workshops will help deliver the skills for these crucial jobs.

Digital: Recent reports have highlighted the seriousness of cyber security, the strengths of the local Space & Satellite sector, the opportunities of artificial intelligence and the impact of agri-tech on food security. Investments in this workstream will build on the successes of local digital clusters to capitalise on tech skills needed for a strong, low carbon, digital economy.

Employability and Professional skills: Feedback from employers cites gaps in employability and professional skills, all fundamental to onboarding new employees and supporting their onward and future development. New courses will help plug these gaps.

If you would like to find out more and how we can support you or your business, contact the Business Development Team, here.

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The collaboration of colleges and universities includes: Activate Learning, Basingstoke College of Technology, Brooklands College, East Surrey College, HSDC (Alton College), Nescot, Queen Mary’s College, The Sixth Form College Farnborough, Sparsholt College Group (Sparsholt Campus, Andover Campus, University Centre Sparsholt), University of Winchester, Windsor Forest Colleges Group (Strode’s College) and Woking College.