City of York Council to back York’s 10-year skill strategy

City of York Council’s executive will be asked to demonstrate the authority's support to York’s new 10 year skill strategy on Thursday, March 17.

Created by the city’s Skills and Employment Board, the strategy sets out steps needed to equip a workforce with the necessary skills to weather economic shocks such as a global pandemic, as well as to thrive and support future sustainable growth.

The vision places people, businesses, partnerships, technology and the city’s net zero ambitions at the heart of the strategy.

Priorities for the next two to five years include work within communities to help individuals access skills for employment and self-employment.

Another focus is supporting local businesses to increase productivity and build resilience through training and upskilling their workforce

Productive partnerships will aim to create a flexible city-wide skills system that responds to local needs.

Meanwhile, a focus on education to lead to employment and self-employment, will aim to ensure a pipeline of talent that meets business needs and attracts, trains, retains and retrains people in the city, through high-quality provision and a culture of lifelong learning.

Cllr Andrew Waller, the council’s executive member for economy and strategic planning, said: “York’s partnership approach to supporting skills development is critical to the long term success of the strategy and, ultimately, the availability of a wide range of quality jobs in the city.

“This 10-year skills strategy sets out the city’s approach to developing the skills infrastructure that will support inclusive and sustainable growth in York over the next ten years.

“I’d like to thank all the partners on the city skills and employment board for their work in creating both the one year, and ten year strategy.”

York’s Skills and Employment Board, of which the council is a partner, is chaired by Lee Probert, principal and chief executive of York College.