The Solent LSIP brings together employers, education and training providers, and other stakeholders from across the area. The aim is to identify opportunities to achieve tangible progress by forging strong connections and laying the foundations for future success. Ultimately, our goal is to drive comprehensive buy-in across the ecosystem, fostering a unified approach to skills development and economic growth. “Hampshire Chamber of Commerce recognises that our community of businesses can only truly thrive through the skills of its people. It is by developing and refreshing these skills that our shared ambition for the Solent region can be achieved. The Solent LSIP is the lodestar guiding our commitment and bringing together our world-leading sectors, cultural capital, and first-class learning and skills providers, united towards supporting our outstanding business environment. We encourage all to get involved and help us develop the talent pool of the future.” – Ross McNally, CEO of Hampshire Chamber of Commerce The Solent LSIP identifies six key priorities that are designed to be cross-cutting and applicable to the full range of employment sectors in the Solent region. Consequently, the priorities do not specifically identify any particular issues in any individual sector. These priorities seek to address a number of economy-wide challenges identified during our engagement with local employers when shaping our LSIP report. 1 – Promote employer engagement to raise awareness & aspirations of employment in sectors facing skill gaps and/or are influenced by negative perceptions. 2 – Promote diversity & empower communities to access opportunities irrespective of their background. 3 – Help raise aspirations for employment by supporting employers to better articulate their offer to a wider audience. 1 – Support employers navigating the skills ecosystem by establishing a dedicated Skills Channel, accessible to all businesses. 2 – Use the Skills Channel to help employers articulate their needs and identify opportunities for brokerage between employers and training providers in the Solent. 3 – Provide learners with a clearer view of the different training pathways to employment and skills development 1 – Promoting a shift in thinking and advocate for future skills planning as a fundamental part of good business planning. 2 – Identify best practice and replicate it to cover the whole Solent, and all sectors of the economy. 1 – Entrust employers to work with providers and other stakeholders to ensure that apprenticeships are delivered in a way that not only fulfil requirements, but which also work better for industry. 2 – Place greater emphasis on an employer-focused offer that would promote flexibility in skills development. 1 – Explore the potential for, and facilitate the co-location of, industry and training facilities as a way of improving pathways and easily linking employers with training providers and learners. 2 – Support a skills pathway brokerage service, delivered by sector specialists acting as mediators between learners and employers. 3. Support employers to play a greater role in delivering (in-house) skills training and professional development. 1 – Promote horizon scanning for future skills needs, whilst also preserving legacy skills. Through two priority recommendations, the Solent LSIP has identified the need for a skills brokerage service to help employers articulate their needs to better align training provisions. Solent Business and Skills Solutions (SBSS) was appointed to support delivery by leveraging its contacts to deliver the necessary support to 150 employers across the region. To date, over 100 businesses have undertaken a Skills Needs Analysis, surpassing interim targets. The ability to contact and engage with hard-to-reach businesses that wouldn’t consider skills planning a fundamental part of good business planning has been critical to the success of the Solent LSIP to date. Further outreach is planned for Autumn 2024, with the aim of further extending the Solent LSIP’s reach.
Connecting people across backgrounds.
The Hampshire LSIP Statement:
What Are the Hampshire LSIP Priorities?
Priority 1: Awareness and aspiration.
Priority 1: Awareness & Aspiration
Priority 2: Navigating the skills ecosystem.
Priority 2: Navigating the skills ecosystem
Priority 3: Proactive employer engagement.
Priority 3: Proactive employer engagement
Priority 4: A more agile ecosystem.
Priority 4: A more agile ecosystem
Priority 5: Pathway to skills.
Priority 5: Pathway to skills
Priority 6: Managing the skills transition.
Priority 6: Managing the skills transition
Reflecting Local Needs
This is a free service offered by Southampton City Council and Portsmouth City Council. It provides a range of support measures to help businesses succeed across the Southampton and Portsmouth areas. The team of experienced professionals offer free, impartial advice and guidance to support you as needed.
They offer a range of planned activities, like skills workshops and NetZero 360 courses, many run in partnership with Hampshire Chamber of Commerce all targeted at local businesses, many of which are free.
