The Federation of Small Businesses in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly is leading a project looking at the current and future skills needs of businesses and technical education provision in the local area.
The organisation is calling on businesses to share views about current and future skills needs through an online survey and phone interviews to help understand the skills needed across Cornwall and Isles of Scilly for businesses to thrive and grow.
The survey forms part of the research for the Cornwall Local Skills Improvement Plan which is a new initiative funded by the Department for Education which has selected FSB to lead on in the local area.
By working with local employers and key education providers, the project will set out the key priorities and changes needed to make post-16 technical education or training in the area more closely aligned with the skills needs of local employers and the local economy.
Ann Vandermeulen, FSB development manager for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, said: “FSB has long encouraged and promoted the need for an employer-led skills agenda and so we’re delighted to have this opportunity to lead the development of this plan locally.
“This is an exciting opportunity for employers to have their say on skills. We are therefore keen to engage with and hear from businesses of all sizes in order to shine a spotlight on the skills they most need in the workplace but struggle to find locally.
“I would therefore encourage employers across Cornwall and Isles of Scilly to feed into the LSIP project through completing our online survey or putting themselves forward for a more in-depth phone interview so that we know about the skills that local businesses and people need to have to thrive and grow in the future.”
The survey is available here and is open until 28 February 28. To take part in a 1:1 interview please contact ann.vandermeulen@fsb.org.uk.
There also, free to attend, face to face focus groups for all businesses and training providers to come together around the county throughout February. Full details here.
