The green transition and local economies

As regions and local areas plan for the green transition, the availability of a workforce with the required skills has been identified as a key priority. Re-skilling current workers or attracting labour from other regions can address some skills needs. However, sustaining regional skills bases over the longer term requires developing appropriate competencies in the next generation of workers, i.e. young people, particularly in areas with limited in-migration and ageing populations. Since anticipating future skills needs and aligning skills provision is most effectively done at the local level, this project identifies what is needed for local and regional institutions to more effectively support and shape skills formation in tomorrow’s workers.

Post-16 provision in England

The English post-16 system has until now been largely market-led and nationally regulated, with funding for providers and courses largely determined by student choice and qualifications created and approved at national level. However, the creation of mayoral combined (now strategic) authorities has provided greater capacity to convene local and regional skills stakeholder around shared objectives. The introduction of Local Skills Improvement Plans, and plans to devolve control over 16-19 education budgets to mayoral strategic authorities, represent enhanced potential to better align skills provision to local circumstances and needs. In this context, Growing Green Talent evaluates the different roles that local and regional government, employers, and education and skills providers can and should play to create a well-functioning local skills ecosystem that anticipates and responds to changing skills demands resulting from the green transition.