West Yorkshire - Lifelong Learning Network

This page provides news on what is happening in the different sectors. For details on what the individual sectors are involved in please visit the individual sector group pages and click on Sector Group Activity

Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing, including Food Manufacturing and Related Industrial Chemistry


Semta reveals higher level engineering vocational qualifications rise on VQ day 2011
Semta 22nd June 2011
Semta, the sector skills council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies, has today released new figures which underline the importance of vocational qualifications on National VQ Day. The figures, on the health of engineering vocational qualifications in the first quarter (1st January – 31st March) of 2011, indicate an overall rise in the number of higher level National / Scottish Vocational Qualifications (N/SVQs) during the first quarter (Q1) of 2011. The rise in Level 3 and Level 4 certifications (four per cent and 29 per cent respectively) shows that employers are recognising the need to skill-up to higher levels to ensure they remain competitive and take advantage of growth opportunities... read more

50,000 NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY
Improve Food and Drink Skills Council
Tens of thousands of new apprenticeship opportunities in the food industry were announced by Food Minister Jim Paice today. The apprenticeships are part of an industry drive to get more young people into skilled food jobs. Mr Paice made the announcement as he launched a Defra-sponsored action plan to get food businesses to run more apprenticeships and change the way young people to think about working in the food industry read more

Semta announces commitment to double the number of higher level apprenticeships
SEMTA - 18th May 2011
Leading employers Siemens, Tata, Ford and Airbus will today join Semta, the Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies, at the launch of a new commitment to double the number of higher level apprenticeships in England.
The Semta Apprenticeship Ambition, launched at the House of Lords, with the National Apprenticeship Service, will demonstrate the importance of higher level skills in supporting economic growth and rebalancing the economy... read more

Business Services, including the Finance Sector, Logistics and Retail

First LEP Board meeting a great success
April 2011 - The Leeds City Region
Exciting new prospects for business and economic growth were the focus of the Leeds City Region’s first board meeting between private and public sector representatives.Board members agreed on a coordinated, committed and focussed approach to deal with barriers to growth and opportunities to support businesses and communities in the city region. The Board will be meeting monthly and minutes of these meetings will be available through the Leeds City Region Leaders Board papers which can be found here. ... read more


Call for new members - Employment and Skills Board 
April 2011 - The Leeds City Region
Are you a sector leader who believes that investing in workforce skills is key to business growth?
If so, you may be interested in this opportunity to shape the priorities for investment in skills and employment programmes across the Leeds City Region.
The closing date for expressions of interest is noon on Monday 23rd May. Click here for more information about this opportunity and how to apply

Leeds City Region success on RGF Round 1 
12th April 2011 - The Leeds City Region
The Government has today announced that four successful bidders in the Leeds City Region will receive a funding boost from the Regional Growth Fund.Haribo sweets factory in Wakefield, David Brown Gear Systems in Huddersfield, Deafinitions in Bradford and a housing and regeneration project in Wakefield have all successfully bid for a portion of the £450m of funding made available for projects across the country.

Construction and the Built Environment

Joint Investment Programme
Government will fund £2.9 million pounds towards £6.0 million pounds of training for your sector.
Proskills June 2011
This great offer has now been extended to allow learner starts until 30th November 2011.
Proskills has been successful in securing funding from government for employers in the process and manufacturing sector for training and qualifications in the low carbon agenda. Under the terms of the Joint Investment Programme (JIP), employers will be able to access up to 50% funded support for QCF level 3 and 4 qualifications, which values the whole programme at some £6.0 million*. JIP means that training leading towards qualifications in the sector will increase by some 20%. These places are only available until 30th November and will be allocated on a first come served basis read more

CITB-ConstructionSkills sets the standard for English apprenticeships
3rd May 2011 - CITB
CITB-ConstructionSkills, the Sector Skills Council and Industry Training Board for the construction industry, has been awarded the Issuing Authority for English Apprenticeship Frameworks for occupations in construction.
By appointment of the Secretary of State, CITB-ConstructionSkills will now be responsible for issuing these frameworks across England and will have statutory responsibility for issuing frameworks across Wales later this year.  The organisation was invited to apply for the role of Issuing Authority by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. With its functions as both an ITB and SSC, CITB-ConstructionSkills is best placed to engage with employers through its relationships with industry... read more

Culture, Media, Sports and the Arts; Leisure, Hospitality and Tourism

Career Boost For Female Staff In Hospitality And Travel As Women 1st Secures New Funding For Training
People 1st June 2011
Women 1st has secured new government funding which will enable an additional 300 women managers and chefs working within the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism (HLTT) industry to benefit from specialised training and mentoring. Women 1st, the brainchild of People 1st, has already provided continuous professional development (CPD) training and mentoring for 400 women.
A number of female employees from companies such as Merlin Entertainments, ABode Hotels, Victory Services Club and Sodexo have benefited from the Women 1st training programmes read more

 

Digital Industries including Creative Digital, ICT and Print

New survey points to increased employer investment in skills
e-skills - 9th May 2011
e-skills UK today welcomes the findings of the annual CBI/EDI Education and Skills Survey, which predicts increased employer investment in skills and greater collaboration between business and education.
Despite the dip in skills investment over the last couple of years that accompanied the recession, the survey suggests that the outlook is becoming increasingly positive - this year 41% of employers indicated that they plan to increase their investment in training, compared with just 14% in last year’s survey. Similarly, the employer appetite for apprenticeships also seems to be on the rise, with 55% already involved in delivering apprenticeships and 17% looking to get involved in the next few years... read more

 

Health, Social Care and Early Years

Graduate careers: EU changes pave way for new healthcare roles
The Guardian - 18th June 2011
Physicians' assistant jobs are an alternative for those interested in healthcare but who don't want to become a doctor. The European Commission clampdown on doctors' working hours has opened a new career path for UK graduates wondering what to do with a science degree. Physicians' assistants are an emerging breed of healthcare professionals trained to relieve the pressure on overstretched doctors in hospitals, GPs' surgeries and community services read more




 

Leadership, Management, Innovation and Enterprise