South Yorkshire Businesses Unite to Shape the Future Workforce Through Local Skills Improvement Plan 

Friday 10th July marked the launch of the South Yorkshire Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP), a business-led plan designed to address skills shortages, strengthen workforce development, and better align education and training provision to the skills needs of employers.    

The region’s three Chambers of Commerce, working closely with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), have facilitated hundreds of businesses joining together to address the region’s skills needs head on.   In doing so, the business community has demonstrated the collaborative spirit and determination that defines South Yorkshire and have shown how collective action can help unlock the region’s growth potential. 

Over the past two years, the three South Yorkshire Chambers of Commerce, in partnership with SYMCA, have engaged extensively with businesses from a wide range of sectors to gather first-hand insight into the skills challenges they face and the opportunities they see for the future.   

South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard said, "When South Yorkshire comes together, there's no limit to what we can achieve. Across Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield, we're creating new opportunities, attracting investment and building an economy that works for everyone. Making the most of those opportunities means making sure all of us have the skills employers need, both now and in the future. 

 “The Local Skills Improvement Plan is bringing businesses, training providers and partners together so we can build a skills system that supports good jobs, drives growth and gives more people the chance to build a good life here in South Yorkshire." 

The plan reflects the collective voice of South Yorkshire’s business community and highlights the region's commitment to identifying skills gaps and suggesting practical ways in which they can be addressed.  

Dan Fell, Chief Executive of Doncaster Chamber, said, "The Local Skills Improvement Plan is a testament to the ambition and commitment of South Yorkshire's business community. Via a series of surveys, roundtables and detailed interviews, hundreds of businesses have inputted to help shape a shared vision for the region's future workforce, demonstrating not only the scale of the skills challenge, but the determination of businesses to be part of the solution. This is a genuinely business-led plan that dovetails with the region’s headline economic strategies and has the potential to drive lasting change for our economy and communities."  

As part of the national Local Skills Improvement Plan programme, overseen by Skills England, South Yorkshire employers have helped shape a business-led blueprint to tackle the skills challenges holding back growth. The plan reflects the real experiences of employers and sets out the actions needed to strengthen the region's talent pipeline for the future. This is timely following a recent business sentiment survey, led by the three South Yorkshire Chambers, that shows that 62% of businesses across South Yorkshire have struggled to recruit, underlining the urgent need for a coordinated response.  

The publication of the LSIP comes at a pivotal moment for South Yorkshire. Following the Milburn Review's call to strengthen opportunities and improve pathways into good employment, this business-led plan provides a clear roadmap for addressing skills challenges and ensuring the region's workforce is equipped for future growth. It also highlights the significant good practice that already exists in South Yorkshire in relation to skills.  

The three South Yorkshire Chambers have praised the overwhelming level of business engagement throughout the process and extended their sincere thanks to every organisation that contributed their time and expertise.  

Carrie Sudbury, Chief Executive of Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber, said, "The level of business engagement throughout this process has been fantastic. Employers haven't just highlighted the challenges they face, they've helped create the solutions, reflecting our business community’s passion for driving positive change."  

While the launch of the LSIP represents a major milestone, business leaders are clear that its success will depend on continued action and commitment from partners across the region. The Chambers are now calling on skills providers, policymakers, commissioners, and other stakeholders to embrace the findings and recommendations of the plan and ensure that they are reflected in future decision-making.  

Louisa Harrison-Walker, Chief Executive of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, said, "This plan represents the collective voice of South Yorkshire's employers. Businesses have stepped up to lead the conversation on skills, and we now need partners across education and government to work with us to turn this plan into action."  

A multi-agency approach will be taken to delivering the Local Skills Improvement Plan.  Success will be judged by the region’s long-term employment, growth and productivity figures as well as business sentiment regarding the agility of the region’s skills system.