Part 3 - Skills for future growth
We want to work with emerging businesses, their supply chains, and academia and skills providers, to prepare a comprehensive future skills programme.
3.1 Action plan aim: Improve digital skills for residents across the Ashfield District
What we already have and do
- Ashfield Innovation Centres in both Sutton and Kirkby Library will be available for residents as Digital Hubs in order to complete IT training. Lead provider will be Inspire, and the focus will be delivering basic Level 1 IT courses, ensuring residents have the digital literacy they need for life and work
- Inspire will be operating a mobile IT provision across the district, which will offer the same IT provision as the innovation centres. They will aim to go harder to reach communities within the district
- As part of Ashfield District Council's allocation of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Academy Transformation Trust Further Education (ATTFE) College is delivering a Digital Support in Local Communities project in priority wards in the districts. This is to help residents use digital devices to enhance their career
- Adult education budget providers such as Inspire, Futures, and Academy Transformation Trust Further Education (ATTFE) College, based at Sutton Academy, deliver basic IT and IT Level 1 courses, which is free for adults aged 19+
- Citizens Online is available for residents to access and improve their IT skills
- Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has a Digital Zone provision in its job centre premises that is tailored around digital inclusion
- DBC Training deliver the iProgramme 1.1 and 1.2, which is medium level IT provision for unemployed residents and business workforces
- Local Enterprise Partnership (D2N2) is delivering fully-funded Digital Skills Bootcamps, which will include programmes to achieve higher level digital skills. This will be for the unemployed and businesses workforce. This will be from the new National Skills Fund (launched full April 2021)
- Vision West Notts College has secured a mobile training facility in the shape of an electric vehicle that will be visiting partner colleges, local schools, and community centres (including Sutton and Kirkby libraries) to introduce individuals to this developing automation and robotics skills
- Vision West Notts College’s Automation and Robotics courses at the Engineering Innovation Centre will be available for residents that need advanced IT provision and to learn how to operate and collaborate with automation and robotics.
What we need to do
Ensure all residents have the digital skills required for life and work:
3.1.5: Ensure the automation/robotics mobile provision is travelling to local schools.
3.2. Action plan aim: Graduate retention schemes are in place for businesses and students in Ashfield
What we already have and do
- Enterprising Ashfield project will be delivered from a new business hub based in Sutton. Nottingham Trent University delivers the Graduate Talent programme, offering short-term, part-funded graduate placement opportunities for local businesses
- Derby University’s Driven programme is available for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to receive funding for hiring a University of Derby graduate. Included is help with recruitment, such as free advertising, job advert creation, job promotion, sifting, and interview support
- Local universities can offer funding to help small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) recruit graduates and talent through several support streams
- Local universities offer the Productivity through Innovation programme, providing graduates to help businesses develop an innovative project.
What we need to do
Ensure businesses and universities are working collaboratively to ensure graduate matching is taking place:
3.2.5: Obtain information from the East Midlands universities of their jobs portals.
- Action completed: 21 February 2024
3.3 Action plan aim: Collaboration and partnership working with providers is in place
What we already have and do
- Ashfield’s Health and Wellbeing Partnership is in place, with its aim for the partnership to work collaboratively in order to reduce economic inactivity within the Ashfield district. Also to develop community projects, which will improve social inclusion in the area
- Love Where You Live: Primary Schools Partnership has been formed, which is chaired by Discover Ashfield. Consisting of local primary schools. This partnership shares best practice to improve education and careers provision within the primary schools. The schools are also linked to local community projects
- Succeed in Ashfield: Secondary Schools Network has been formed, which is chaired by Discover Ashfield. Consisting of local secondary schools. This network shares best practice to improve education and careers provision within the primary schools. The schools are also linked to community projects, as well as businesses to help shape the curriculum based on their skills needs
- Ashfield’s Adult Skills Strategic Partnership has been formed, which is chaired by Ashfield District Council. This collaboration consists of further education, higher education, and independent training providers that deliver employment and skills services to Ashfield residents. This partnership shares best practice to improve employment and skills provision within the district. The partnership is also linked to businesses to help shape programmes based on their recruitment and workforce development needs
- D2N2 People and Skills Board involves partners working collaboratively across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Data is shared in this arena and partners discuss how to improve important priorities in the area
- Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) involvement has been set up in Ashfield’s Adult Skills Strategic Partnership meetings. Department for Work and Pensions talk about programmes and key priorities from Ashfield’s Job Centre claimant count
- Nottinghamshire County Council is involved in Ashfield’s Adult Skills Strategic Partnerships to discuss its services and also updates from the Multiply programme.
What we need to do
To improve the local Primary Education, Secondary Education, Further Education (FE), Higher Education (HE) and Adult Skills offer, develop partnership arrangements that enable providers and employers to work together more collaboratively
3.3.12: Arrange annual awards ceremony for the partnerships.
- Action completed: 21 February 2024