Norfolk and Suffolk continue to deliver success with skills engagement

Norfolk and Suffolk Chambers of Commerce have had another successful year of engaging employers and key stakeholders through the delivery of the Norfolk and Suffolk Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) and the Annual Progress Report has now been published today (Monday 30 June 2025).

The Norfolk and Suffolk Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) plays a crucial role in the strategic skills landscape of Norfolk and Suffolk by aligning skills development with the region's economic priorities and taking into account employer demand across the region.  With a rapidly evolving skills agenda, both locally and nationally, having a skilled workforce is essential for driving growth and innovation.  

Skills Minister Jacqui Smith said:
“I am pleased to see the progress being made to bring these Local Skills Improvement Plans to life.  We remain committed to the LSIP model as part of our Plan for Change, and have strengthened the role that Mayors and Strategic Authorities will play in identifying and addressing the local skills issues in the plans.
 
“Skills England will work hand-in-hand with businesses, education providers, Mayors and Strategic Authorities, unions, and other bodies to tackle skills shortages, co- creating solutions to ensure more opportunities for young people and existing workers wherever they are based in the country.”

Since the start of the LSIP in September 2022, the Chambers have collectively delivered 16 employer-driven LSIP events across both Norfolk and Suffolk and has reached a further 1,300+ employers through direct meetings, skills survey work and the creation of Keystone Employers, who share their best practise and thoughts with the sector groups across our region. 

Commenting on the LSIP engagement, Dean Pierpoint, the Skills Director for the Norfolk and Suffolk LSIP said: 
“Over the past year, we have undertaken a comprehensive engagement programme with local businesses to identify critical skills gaps and explore effective solutions to address them. In collaboration with local authorities and key stakeholders, the LSIP has translated employer feedback into actionable strategies, aimed at shaping the future of skills training and provision across Norfolk and Suffolk.

“Our engagement has been varied including in-depth one-to-one business interactions, sector-specific skills group meetings, stakeholder workshops, employer roundtables, and targeted surveys. Through this multi-faceted approach, we have captured a granular level of insight from businesses of all sizes and sectors, ensuring we are capturing the employer voice.

“This collaborative effort has solidified the LSIP's role as a central voice in the regional skills ecosystem. By aligning employer needs with training provision, we are working to ensure that the workforce of Norfolk and Suffolk is equipped with the relevant skills to support economic growth. Our work ensures that the voices of employers are not only heard but actively shape the local skills landscape.”

The Norfolk and Suffolk LSIP aims to bridge the gap in understanding, translation and the development of new provision to the skills that employers need; those that individuals possess; and the provision available through local Further/Higher Education (FE/HE) colleges and the independent training providers.

Commenting on the need for the Local Skills Improvement Plan, John Dugmore, Chief Executive of Suffolk Chamber of Commerce said:
“The Norfolk and Suffolk Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) is fundamentally driven by the needs of employers, therefore, employer engagement is of paramount importance in guiding skills development and provision across the region.  By placing businesses at the heart of the process, the LSIP can ensure that our future skills programmes are truly aligned with the demands of the local labour market, to help support  economic growth and boost productivity.”

The skills landscape continues to evolve, especially at a national level, which has impact on the regional and local level.  In recent months the government has launched both Skills England and their Modern Industrial Strategy.   Skills England aims to simplify the skills landscape and ensure the workforce has the necessary skills to drive economic growth.  

Their priorities include: Identifying skills gaps at the national level and creating strategies to address them; unifying the skills landscape across England, in collaboration with local government, businesses, training providers, and unions; shaping technical education to meet skills needs; advising on the highly trained workforce needed for the future economy.

Their ten sector priorities, which align with the Modern Industrial Strategy, are:

1.    Advanced Manufacturing
2.    Clean Energy Industries
3.    Construction
4.    Creative Industries
5.    Defence
6.    Digital and Technologies
7.    Financial Services
8.    Health & Social Care
9.    Life Sciences
10.    Professional and Business Services

The Norfolk and Suffolk LSIP must adapt and innovate to align with the new priorities coming from central government.  

Commenting on how this will be done, Nova Fairbank, Chief Executive of Norfolk Chambers said:
“The work of the Norfolk and Suffolk LSIP must be employer-led and we will continue to listen and support employers to help them achieve a fully skilled workforce.  We are pleased to say that the priorities of Skills England are already being reflected in multiple ways in the work of the Norfolk & Suffolk LSIP:

•    Identifying and Addressing Skills Gaps: The Norfolk & Suffolk LSIP directly addresses this priority by identifying the specific skills gaps within the region and working to ensure provision is in place to meet those needs.
•    Unifying the Skills Landscape: The LSIP promotes collaboration between various education and training providers (FE, HE, private providers) and employers, which aligns with Skills England's goal of unifying the skills landscape.
•    Shaping Technical Education: By emphasising employer engagement and tailoring training to meet industry demands, the LSIP is working to shape technical education to be more responsive to skills needs, a key priority for Skills England.
•    Focus on Priority Skills: The LSIP's focus on priority skills such as digital, and soft skills aligns with Skills England's emphasis on its 10 priority sectors.  The LSIP in Norfolk and Suffolk is working to ensure that the region has a skilled workforce to support these sectors, as well as locally-nuanced priorities such as agri-food/tech.”

The Norfolk and Suffolk LSIP relies on the support of a wide range of employer, including our Keystone Employers, as well as stakeholders including local authorities, colleges, universities and independent training providers.  Without their ongoing support the LSIP would not be achieving the success and helping to drive change and innovation in the skills landscape across Norfolk and Suffolk.

Progress Report & Annex A:
https://norfolkchamber.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Norfolk-Suffolk-LSIP-Progress-Report-2025-Annex-A-Final-v678.pdf 

Progress Report Annex B:
https://norfolkchamber.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Norfolk-Suffolk-LSIP-Progress-Report-2025-Annex-B-Final-v6.pdf