Decision details

The Chair welcomed County Councillor Ash Sutcliffe, Lead Member for Cultural Services and Skills, Dr Michele Lawty-Jones, Director, Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub, and Joanna O'Donnell, Project Manager to the meeting.

A presentation was provided to the committee on Skills Bootcamps funded by the Department for Education under the National Skills Fund. A total of £1.2m was allocated to Lancashire under Wave 3 for financial year 2022/23, £3m under Wave 4 in 2023/24 and £6.4m under Wave 5 (2024/25). It outlined the policy intent and features of the Skills Bootcamp programme, and progress against Waves 4 and 5 in Lancashire. A copy of the presentation is set out in the minutes.

Comments, suggestions and queries raised from the committee were as follows:

·  It was suggested that consideration be given to expanding the out of hours provision and where possible, utilising local community centre venues to help people access training who might otherwise be unable to attend during the daytime or were apprehensive about accessing training at large education establishments.

·  It was also suggested that consideration be given to linking training with local labour market intelligence to ensure that the need for it was there to ensure value for money.

·  It was explained that the programme was pan-Lancashire and had worked with district projects like Rossendale Works, recognizing the need for employment provision.

·  Officers highlighted the need to assess what skills local areas required the most in their job markets, as well as considering where employers were based. It was confirmed that district activity data on where interventions had taken place would be circulated to the committee at a later date.

·  Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub worked alongside The Prince's Trust through referrals of learners to ensure individuals were entering the right programme for getting them back into work.

·  Benchmarking exercises with areas across the country had shown similar trends in completion rates and job outcomes.

·  It was noted that learners who had completed the skills bootcamp, but subsequently had been employed in an alternative sector could not have been included in the data for employment outcomes.

·  It was recognised that the national targets for job outcomes were aspirational, and significant success had already been had in closing gaps in Lancashire's skills shortages and embedding social values.

·  Skills bootcamps had helped to redress stereotypes in certain industries and promote inclusivity amongst new workforces.

·  In formulating recommendations, it was suggested that members could assist with promoting the positive messaging on this work and requested that relevant information and social media links be provided to county councillors.

Resolved: That;

(i)  Relevant information and social media links to help county councillors promote Skills Bootcamps be provided.

(ii)  Data on where interventions had taken place by district be circulated to all members of the Environment, Economic Growth and Transport Scrutiny Committee.

(iii)The Cabinet Member for Education and Skills gives consideration to:

a.  Expanding the out of hours provision.

b.  Where possible, utilising local community centre venues to deliver training.

c.  Linking training with local labour market intelligence.