Aim: Equality of opportunity and access to skills development for all.

Adult skill levels in the West Midlands are well below national averages. Skills shortages are particularly evident in information and communications technology (ICT), nursing and other caring professions, the construction industry (particularly trade skills such as joinery and plumbing) and in general management.

Important Issues to address

• Local and national skill shortages.
• Availability and choice of professional and vocational training locally.
• Take up of learning opportunities in areas where skills shortages are most acute e.g. in the construction and care sectors.
• Encouragement given to people to access learning.
• ICT skills within the workforce and wider community.
• Awareness by individuals about the skills they already possess which can be transferred and used in other settings.
• Access to skills which can help reduce the isolation of people with disabilities e.g. signing skills etc.
• Quality of practical training.
• Constraints in the scope of lifelong learning - this must be broadened to encompass 'life' as well as 'vocational' skills such as parenting, healthy eating and other forms of personal and community development training.
• Partnership working - not just within the public sector, but also with the voluntary and private sectors and with the community.
• Promotion of young people's rights to 'time off for study', particularly among young people who are in employment without any structured training.
• Assessment services for companies to help them to identify individuals with potential for further learning.
• Feasibility of setting up a skill swapping scheme.
• Access to video conferencing facilities.

Key Objectives

• To identify and address local and national skill shortages.
• To reduce the number of school leavers entering employment without training.
• To up-skill and re-skill the workforce to meet changing commercial needs and increased self-employment.
• To encourage people to take up learning opportunities, particularly in areas of skills shortages e.g. by providing additional support or incentives.
• To develop ICT skills within the workforce and the wider community.
• To enable people to recognise the transferable skills that they already possess.
• To improve access to skills which can help to realise the potential (and reduce the isolation) of people with disabilities.
• To ensure that practical training is delivered to a consistently high quality, particularly through National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs).
• To identify potential sectors for growth and the skills required for the future - e.g. those needed to support the Shrewsbury Business Park and bid for city status.
• To develop public/private sector partnerships which can respond speedily to the needs of inward investors.
• To promote young people's rights to 'time off for study'.
• To develop assessment services for companies which will help them to identify individuals with potential for further learning.
• To harness the skills and knowledge contained within the ageing community.
• To develop video conferencing facilities.

Actions

• Ensure that the learning capacity within the Borough is adequate and flexible enough to meet the needs of existing businesses and likely demands of inward investors.
• Develop a co-ordinated approach to the training needs and provision of professional development training throughout the Borough by the end of 2002, linked with improved access to higher education (see Learning).
• Co-ordinate and market the opportunities available via a variety of media - leaflets, internet resources etc.
• Work in partnership to ensure that inward investors are presented with a coherent welcome from the Borough - a positive, responsive approach to enquiries is vital.
• Monitor the demands and needs of inward investors.
• Support agencies that can help enable people with disabilities to access learning opportunities.

Future Community Involvement

Although we have tried to involve as many people as possible in putting this strategy together, it is unlikely that we have managed to reach everybody. Over the coming year we will involve the community in further development of the

Monitoring

To include:

Links to other strands of the strategy

• The economy.
• Health.
• Social inclusion.
• Vibrant Communities.
• The environment.

Partners in Delivery

• Connexions Youth Support Service
• Gateway Arts and Education Centre
• Learning and Skills Council
• Local Businesses
• Professional Institutes offering Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
• Schools and Colleges
• Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council, Shrewsbury Museums Service
• Shrewsbury Partnership for Education and Training
• Shropshire and Telford Information Advice and Guidance Partnership
• Shropshire Disability Consortium
• Shropshire Early Years Childcare and Development Partnership
• Shropshire Libraries Service
• Shropshire Local Education Authority
• Shropshire Professional Network
• Shropshire Records and Research
• Shropshire Youth Service
• Through the Doorway Healthy Living Partnership
• Universities, including the Open University and the University of the Third Age
• Vocational Training Providers
• Voluntary Groups and Organisations
• Workers' Educational Association
• Youth Groups and Associations