Margaret Coleman - Regional Director
Welcome to LSC News, the first issue of our e-newsletter which aims to keep you up-to-date with news and views from the LSC in Yorkshire and the Humber.
You will read in one of the stories that the skills gap is falling in Yorkshire and the Humber but there is still a big challenge for us to make our region better skilled and more competitive. We have a single goal: to improve the skills of young people and adults to world-class standards. Our vision is that by 2010, they have the knowledge and skills matching the best in the world and are part of a truly competitive workforce.
Are we winning in Yorkshire and the Humber?
- 75% of young people are now in education and training the highest figure ever.
- Over 120,000 adults have improved their basic skills levels in reading, writing and maths in the past four years.
- There are over 67,000 apprentices - a record number.
- The LSC has invested £197 million in redeveloping colleges.
- Plus, we've worked with over 3,000 employers, helping them train their staff.
But we know there is much, much more to do. We're focusing on achieving better quality and more consistent delivery by creating local Partnership Teams, which will work alongside local Economic Development Teams who will focus on skills for employers and regeneration. Our regional centre in Bradford will deliver operational services such as finance and build stronger regional links with partners.
Re-focused energies, efforts and resources
We need to get under the skin of local needs and ensure that funding and delivery of local learning and training is relevant and delivered quickly. Our transformation will see the vast majority of our workforce focused outwards on front line delivery through strategic relationships at the local and regional level.With the creation of our regional centre in Bradford and 15 local Partnership Teams we will be working in a more streamlined way across Yorkshire and the Humber.
To have a real impact at grassroots level, our Partnership Teams will focus on their local areas. They will really know their patch inside out. This will enable them to lead and support the delivery of the 14-19 agenda, personal and community development, and ensure that national and regional skills priorities are delivered in a way that best meets local needs.
We're determined to make the LSC a more dynamic, more locally driven organisation so that it can better provide the leadership the post 16 education sector needs. As you read LSC News over the coming months, we hope you will begin to see the impact that the LSC is having in our region. We would welcome your feedback on the stories you would like see here.
Yours sincerely,
Margaret Coleman
Regional Director