Staffordshire Employment & Skills Plan Strategic Framework
The Staffordshire County Council Economic Strategy 2023-2030 vision is “By 2030, the people of Staffordshire will be able to benefit from more and better paid jobs, with the county being one of the primary locations for sustainable growth and investment in the UK, creating places that we can all be proud of, driven by innovation, new technologies and supporting the move towards carbon neutrality.” However, it also recognises a need to address the low levels of skills across some parts of the county and support more of our residents to gain the high-level skills needed to take advantage of many better paid job opportunities.
The Staffordshire Employment and Skills Plan Strategic Framework supports a targeted approach to both employment and skills and engagement with local businesses. It sets out why employment and skills plans are needed; to support the employment and training of residents, promote opportunities that are available as part of a development (or significant project), and through work packages and the supply of materials ordered, where they are most suited to local businesses and providers.
An Employment and Skills Plan (ESP) is a process led approach that will require an Employment and Skills Team Officer of either Local Authority or a representative from any of the county’s eight Borough or District Councils, to work closely with the development/project coordinator. There will be a requirement to meet regularly to assess how the project can support training and employment outcomes.
The high-level objectives of the plans will be to:
- Raise skill levels and increase employability for residents, promoting target groups
- Tackle skill shortages particularly in priority sectors
- Promote engagement of Staffordshire Jobs & Careers (SJC)
- For larger developments to seek funding to supplement local resources and to create an Employment & Skills Fund (Re. WMI)
- Promote the procurement of goods and services from local suppliers (FinditinStoke&Staffs)
Staffordshire ESP Framework Document (768 KB)