Employers invited to give their views on skills and training in Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire

Employers throughout Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire are being invited to give their views on skills training in the region at a series of breakfast meetings being organised by the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) during June.

Developing a skilled workforce to help create a thriving economy and prosperous communities is a key priority for the LEP, and employers are invited to give their views at meetings in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stafford and Lichfield.

Chairman David Frost CBE said the LEP was keen to hear the views of employers on the effectiveness of the current skills system, from the primary and secondary sector to further and higher education institutions, as well as apprenticeships, other in-work training and workforce development.

He said: “We would like to hear directly from employers on the strengths and weaknesses of the skills system, including any gaps in provision, the responsiveness of the system to employer needs, scope for further improvement and examples of good practice that we can continue to build on.

“We will use the feedback from employers to develop and refine our own skills programmes and focus our funding to maximum effect.

“We will also pass on their views to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy as the department continues to develop the Government’s Industrial Strategy, as well as lobbying Government more generally on behalf of our local firms.”

The meetings are all free to attend and run from 8am to 10am, including a light breakfast.

The dates are:

• Wednesday 6^th June at Knights 1759, The Brampton, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 0QW.
• Tuesday 12^th June at The Lichfield Garrick Theatre, Castle Dyke, Lichfield WS13 6HR.
• Thursday 21^st June at Stafford College, Victoria Square, Stafford, ST16 2QR.

Businesses are asked to email chair@stokestaffslep.org.uk if they would like to attend.