A major education, employment and skills strategy has been
launched by Tees Valley Combined Authority outlining the key
issues, priorities and opportunities to fill the 133,000 jobs
that will be available in the region by 2024.
Titled Inspiring Our Future, the strategy is the first to offer a
joined-up approach between education, employment and skills
agendas to help retain, develop and recruit the talent Tees
Valley requires for future economic growth.
The strategy will assist businesses to identify and address
current and future skills gaps in industry alongside creating new
paths to work.
Working with key partners and businesses, Inspiring Our Future
will focus on supporting innovation and collaboration in
education, transforming careers and enterprise education, develop
a skills system for business growth, address long-term
unemployment and enhance the role of higher education in driving
economic growth.
At the event, the strategy was welcomed by Jobcentre Plus and
representatives from the community and voluntary sector, who saw
it as an opportunity to build on existing collaboration. Colleges
and learning institutions also praised its linkage of education
to business, which they see as key to achieving economic success
in the region.
The strategy is as a result of Tees Valley’s Devolution Deal with
Government, which gives the region greater control over local
decision-making powers and funding.
The Combined Authority has identified more than £100million of
investment for the period from 2017 to 2021 in employment,
education and skills which the strategy will help deliver.
The launch follows a six-week consultation period that ended in
January, during which the public and businesses were given the
opportunity to have their say on the plans.
Paul Booth, chair of the Tees Valley Local Enterprise
Partnership, said: “This strategy has the potential to transform
how we do business in Tees Valley. By helping companies spot the
workers they need, and find ways of filling those gaps, we can
strengthen local industry for years to come.
“This plan will inspire young people and help adults and the
long-term unemployed back to work in a way which benefits us all.
I’d encourage our firms to see what they can do to help deliver
this strategy and what this programme can do for them.”
To view the Education, Employment and Skills Strategy,
Inspiring Our Future, visit teesvalley-ca.gov.uk/SkillsStrategy
