Thinking Business December 2023

Page 34

LSIF

Camilla Maurice, Simon Cook, Richard Wilde, Will Mitchell and Chris Hare from MidKent College with the Rt Hon Gillian Keegan MP, Education Secretary, and Lucy Druesne, Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce.

Innovative skills training wins £5m+ Government investment

Colleges are celebrating the award of £5 million government funding to continue to develop innovative facilities and resources to help people seeking careers in green energy, improve digital skills and Innovation in Health & Care and develop effective employer partnerships to address the skills gaps in education. The funding is part of the £165 million Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF), which is targeted to address the specific skills needs of each region after local businesses and employers identified their priorities through their Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP). The funding announcement for the partnership of three Kent Colleges was made by Education Secretary Gillian Keegan following a visit to the Maidstone campus of MidKent College in November where she was shown around their current facilities which have been funded by the precursor to the LSIP. MidKent College will use the funding to create a new training facility providing hands-on experience in Retrofit energy efficiency measures to support renewable and sustainable energy solutions in existing buildings. Simon Cook, Principal and Chief executive at MidKent College said: “We are thrilled that construction and building services businesses across Kent & Medway will benefit from this investment in retrofit technology and training. We know from our conversations with employers that growing skills for sustainable construction practices and improving the energy efficiency of existing housing stock are priorities for the sector here in the Southeast.” “We’re incredibly proud that this new facility will work seamlessly with our Home Energy Centre and

34 Thinking Business

Sustainable Construction Skills Factory at the heart of our Maidstone campus, and alongside our own efforts to make the campus carbon neutral by 2030.” East Kent Colleges Group is leading a project for Digital Skills and Innovation in Health & Care on behalf of the college partnership. This project will improve recruitment and retention and improve digital skills and the use of technology in the health and care sector. It will also improve promotion of the sector to new entrants, support the development of enhanced career pathways and enable the development of more efficient and tailored health and care solutions. Graham Razey, Chief Executive of East Kent Colleges Group, said: “This funding is going to help us accelerate the skills development we know our healthcare employers need across the county. At present there is a clear need to grow the

At present there is a ❛❛ clear need to grow the skills

that healthcare providers will need in the future, and this LSIF funding will enable us to deliver against this agenda, developing the next generation of highly skilled employees.

❜❜

skills that healthcare providers will need in the future, and this LSIF funding will enable us to deliver against this agenda, developing the next generation of highly skilled employees.” The key aim of the third project which will be led by North Kent College is to increase the capacity and capability of the Region’s Further Education providers to support employers with the higher technical and digital skills needed by modern manufacturing businesses. It aims to establish the physical infrastructure needed to modernise the curriculum in factory automation skills, increase the total number of expert technical tutors available and develop lasting employer partnerships that will underpin ongoing future success. David Gleed, Chief Executive and Executive Principal, North Kent College said “I am delighted that North Kent College will benefit from investment in the priority skills shortage sectors including Low Carbon Construction, and Healthcare. We will lead on Engineering & Manufacturing, developing first class resources and an Industry Council to focus on collaborative delivery and exciting project-based learning, maximising the impact through our connected classrooms. Through better collaborations between businesses and education, we aim to inspire the next generation that will grow Kent’s economy and help our communities prosper.” Announcing the funding, Education Secretary, The Right Honourable Gillian Keegan MP said: “Local businesses have worked together with their chamber of commerce and their colleges and training providers to say, ‘in our area there are these skills that we are missing.’ Then we make sure we bring the businesses and the education system together, so the courses match the jobs that are there in the industry.”


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Thinking Business December 2023

0
page

Nick Barker joins Avante Care & Support as Director of Quality

0
pages 50-51

Enhance Protect Connect

5min
pages 49-50

Kent Wellbeing Hub

3min
page 47

Benchmark marks its 30th birthday

2min
page 46

Quinn Estates wins Housebuilder award for supporting local skills growth at the ‘Oscars of Housebuilding’

1min
page 46

Customers just for Christmas!

8min
pages 39, 41-44

UK firms in the dark over regulatory avalanche for EU trade, says BCC research

5min
pages 36-39

Kent & Medway Local Skills Improvement Plan - the key points

4min
page 35

£5m+ Government investment

2min
page 34

Adonis Blue Spreads its Wings to support Biodiversity Net Gain

3min
pages 32-33

Gusbourne Harvest 2023

1min
page 31

How your Christmas customer data can boost your 2024 sales

1min
page 31

BJF Group builds new safe space at Bovington Academy

1min
page 31

How Building Information Modelling is revolutionising build projects

1min
page 30

Hempstead House Hotel & Spa achieves 4-Star Accreditation from AA Make the most of your Christmas sales by asking for reviews

2min
page 30

Why a 15-minute walk is so good for you

1min
pages 28-29

Tunbridge Wells: Kent’s Ultimate Work-Life Destination

1min
page 28

Media company explores new digital health care innovation

1min
page 27

Better health makes business sense

2min
pages 26-27

The value of workplace wellbeing in your organisation

3min
pages 24-25

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE… the development of an East Kent Colleges Group ‘People Charter’

2min
page 22

Celebrating Apprenticeship success at MidKent College

2min
pages 19-20

Kent’s property market is “capable of weathering the storm”

1min
page 18

A business is nothing without its people

2min
pages 16-17

How can an Outsourced Finance Director support your Business?

2min
page 15

Having an outsourced finance director could be your ACE card

2min
page 14

Four ways public relations will benefit your business

2min
page 13

Introduction to Bold Biz Coaching

1min
page 13

Universal Wellbeing Contract plans to combat loneliness

1min
page 12

Broomsticks offers an award winning finish on construction, refurb or fit-out projects

1min
page 12

Kent and Medway Business Summit returns in 2024

1min
page 11

Employers and students take part in MidKent College ZERO and Green Careers Fair

2min
page 11

Patrons meet at JV H.O.M.E

1min
page 10

Introducing Fabvisage Aesthetics, where beauty meets expertise

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page 9

Act fast to claim tax rebate on French capital gains or income following change to post-Brexit law

1min
page 9

Rochester Scaffolding branches out into construction recruitment

3min
page 8

Resolutions – when to change and how

1min
page 8

Time for a FINANCIAL HEALTH CHECK?

3min
page 7

A Christmas that works for you and your family…

3min
pages 5-6

The house that Jo built

2min
page 4
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