News - Page 12

Crowder Consulting managing director, George Crowder, warns that the Levelling Up agenda will not be delivered without investing in skills to grow the workforce.

James M. Butcher from the National Federation of Builders warns that getting post-16 education right will be critical to plugging the skills gap and that the success of the government's landmark skills legislation will be measured by results.

The National Infrastructure Commission's Bridget Rosewell CBE talks about how increased devolution to help support regional infrastructure plans will be key for economic growth outside of the capital.

Blue Horizon Ventures director Julian Russell discusses how the Levelling Up agenda will be key for cultural assets in the UK.

Paddeco Ltd CEO Joseph Lloyd writes that there has been a collective failure to address the needs of industry by education and there is a need for the Skills & Post-16 Education Act to change this.

Andrew Clowes, headteacher of Hey With Zion Primary School in Oldham, Lancashire, shares his concerns that levelling up is not doing enough to address rising poverty.

Jamie Cater, senior policy manager for employment at industry body Make UK, discusses how Local Skills Improvement Plans and their ambition to bring employers to the centre of skills provision will be key to addressing the labour shortage in key sectors.

Stephen Davis, the CEO and group principal of the United Colleges Group, discusses the need for levelling up in the poorer parts of London as well as in other UK regions.

Association of Employment and Learning Providers boss Jane Hickie highlights that long-term investment and measures will be critical to ensure that the Levelling Up agenda truly drives growth and social mobility.

Brian Berry, CEO of the Federation of Master Builders, highlights that the skills shortage in the construction sector is a longstanding problem and a long-term focus is needed to resolve the issue.

Community & Business Partners CEO Amanda Meachin writes that although the Levelling Up agenda is well-intentioned, its outlets such as the Levelling Up Fund are ineffective and more must be done to get investment to where it is needed.

TOBS Consultancy director Adwoa Owusu-Banahene explains why deprived communities are relying on the Levelling Up agenda delivering, and sets out the scale of the task ahead.

Tim Balcon, CEO of the Construction Industry Training Board [CITB], discusses why Local Skills Improvement Plans [LSIPS], a cornerstone of the Skills & Post-16 Education Act, will be critical to upskill the UK workforce.

Dr Jonathan Carr-West of the Local Government Information Unit [LGIU] writes that local authorities need to be empowered by new and proper devolution deals if levelling up is to be successful.