Skills scrutinised at stakeholder events

By LBV

21 Sep 2011

The events were hosted in conjunction with A4e (Action for Employment), a national provider of work and community support initiatives.
In particular, the stakeholder discussions focused on the question of vocational training and how the skills that young people develop can be better matched and aligned with the real needs of employers.

The principal objective of the events was to hear from the stakeholders themselves and to gather their views on how the Lancashire’s public and private sector organisations could best work together to make vocational training more accessible, more relevant and more employer-driven.

Ilyas Munshi, CEO of Enterprise4All, said: “We set out to understand how we can best meet the demands for economic growth and innovation through better skills and employment opportunities. In assessing that we were also asking how we can help to ensure that young people see vocational training as a realistic, viable and attractive option for improving their life chances.

“Important to both those questions is the relevance of the training itself, which is why it has been so important to solicit the view of employers. We needed to understand how well their skills needs are currently being met, where potential gaps exist and how the various education providers could adapt their offerings to make them better suited to the demands of the business community.

“The results have been very revealing. Many employers see vocational qualifications as every bit as valuable and credible as the sorts of qualifications that young people are achieving through further education. For many school leavers, on the job training makes complete sense, particularly when one considers the spiralling costs of a university education; true vocational training means that young employees will be earning as they are learning, and that they can be more confident that the skills they are developing will stand them in good stead for the future.”

Business delegates attending the events reported that a crucial requirement was for more effective engagement between National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) and the region’s many SME employers and professional bodies, and for more active promotion of the benefits of apprenticeships. They recommended that a single platform be created to provide information about recruitment opportunities and funding, and that there should be more provision for tailor-made, flexible training programmes that meet the needs of employers rather than constraints dictated within existing frameworks.

Employers recorded their concern about the calibre of candidates currently coming through to them, noting that many candidates are seen to lack a basic work ethic as well as numeracy and literacy skills. More needs to be done to engage earlier in the school life rather than simply engaging with two weeks work experience.

The stakeholders also reached a clear agreement that all parties should encourage and enable young people to pursue real career opportunities rather than registering for frameworks that do not necessarily lead to employment. They agreed that marketing to parents would also be critical in order to help them weigh up the cost of further education against vocational provision.

“It has been a very worthwhile exercise,” concluded Ilyas Munshi. “It has produced valuable feedback about what employers are really looking for and what they need to create the kind of economic growth that will benefit Lancashire as whole. It has also begun to address some of the reasons why young people haven’t always been confident about the value of previous forms of training provision. What everyone is now looking for is a way of delivering skills that are of real value to employers and that represent a genuinely credible pathway to employment.”
 

Enjoyed this? Read more from LBV

Latest news

1

Three weekly domestic waste collection considered in plans Waste recycling Blackpool

Three weekly domestic waste collection considered in plans

01 Jul 2025

2

Graham Engineering confirms acquisition to a2e Industries Graham Engineering

Graham Engineering confirms acquisition to a2e Industries

01 Jul 2025

3

Training 2000 celebrate 'Good' rating by Ofsted Training 2000

Training 2000 celebrate 'Good' rating by Ofsted

01 Jul 2025

4

Fox Group acquires J Fisher and Sons Colin Fisher, Paul Fox CEO and Gary Fisher.

Fox Group acquires J Fisher and Sons

01 Jul 2025

5

Beever and Struthers strengthen leadership team with new partners Dean Curtis and Joe Diston

Beever and Struthers strengthen leadership team with new partners

01 Jul 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
LBV123 July/August Launch Event
Lancashire Business View magazine launch
Networking
16 Jul 2025

LBV123 July/August Launch Event

Burnley

08:30 - 10:30

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

Chamber Breakfast Networking – July
Chamber Logo1.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
02 Jul 2025 - 02 Jul 2025

Chamber Breakfast Networking – July

St John's Hospice, Slyne Road, Lancaster, LA2 6ST

08:00 - 10:00

The Marketing Metrics that Matter – July 4
LBV Hub Seminars
04 Jul 2025 - 04 Jul 2025

The Marketing Metrics that Matter – July 4

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Burnley, BB11 1JG

08:30 - 11:00

Tri-Site Survey Equipment Showcase
unnamed (2).jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
09 Jul 2025 - 09 Jul 2025

Tri-Site Survey Equipment Showcase

Crow Wood Hotel, Burnley, BB12 0RT

09:30 - 16:00

Chamber Summer BBQ
LBV Hub Social
17 Jul 2025 - 17 Jul 2025

Chamber Summer BBQ

The Borough, Dalton Square, Lancaster, LA1 1PP

17:30 - 20:00

Preston Tech Connection: Web3 is Dead. Or is It?
July Longer Banner.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
29 Jul 2025 - 29 Jul 2025

Preston Tech Connection: Web3 is Dead. Or is It?

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 19:30

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: July
Longer July Banner.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
31 Jul 2025 - 31 Jul 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: July

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Cumbria Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880461633-4862066883-1-original.20241022-110415.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
19 Sep 2025 - 19 Sep 2025

Cumbria Business Expo 2025

Carlisle Racecourse, Carlisle, CA2 4TS

09:00 - 15:00

North West Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880456273-4862066883-1-original.20241022-105445.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
24 Oct 2025 - 24 Oct 2025

North West Business Expo 2025

Bolton Stadium Hotel, Bolton, BL6 6SF

09:00 - 15:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV122 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin