BOARDS AND EMPLOYER VOICE HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT

Liverpool business insights are crucial to unlocking the region’s – as well as UK’s –talent potential

Rachel Reeves must feel she has been dealt a difficult hand at the moment. With the UK economy unexpectedly contracting by 0.1% in January, the OECD reducing the UK’s growth estimate for 2025 to 1.4% and the effects of Donald Trump’s tariffs creating a ricochet effect across the global economy, Ms Reeves must feel she has a mountain to climb. At the time of writing, her much anticipated Spring Statement is still unknown: will this add an additional chink of uncertainty?

As any firm will know, uncertainty is not a friend to business. However, one constant – albeit with arguably inconsistent results in times gone by - has been that successive governments have attempted to drive growth through the skills agenda. And its right they should. By creating the right environment for learning and support systems to flourish - both locally and nationally - learners become part of the talent pipeline, with the power to drive, positively change and boost economies. However, to supercharge change, businesses need to be firmly in the driving seat articulating their needs, with the system ready to act. Enter the Employer Representative Bodies – or ERBs, who act as the voice of business within this important skills ecosystem.

As the ERB for the Liverpool City Region, Liverpool Chamber has been working closely with city partners, including the Combined Authority, colleges, independent education providers and regional Chambers, to ensure the skills mix in Liverpool is the right ‘formula’not only in relation to what the local economy needs now, but also what it is likely to need in the future to stay competitive and enhance growth.

As the Devolution agenda gains momentum, Liverpool already has the advantage of being a tried-and-tested Combined Authority area, flanked by the Combined Authority in Greater Manchester – meaning much of the ecosystem for success is already in place to not only support, but also promote seamless joint working to stimulate economic momentum. Through the work of the ERB and via the LSIP, in conjunction with the Combined Authority, the Liverpool City region has already laid firm foundations for what successful public-private working can look like to drive growth, as new plans and ways of working take shape here in the North West.

Whilst skills and education have been – politically – subject to much change, this perhaps underlines why ERBs, with a constant and trusted business voice at their core, need longevity of funding and consistency to support and build on the LSIP. Businesses are the glue that ensures skills provision is responsive, appropriate and meets the demands of the economy at any given time. Furthermore, with the winding down of the Institute of Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) and the creation of Skills England as a proposed Executive arm of the Department of Education (DfE), it is absolutely key that new arrangements allow employers the voice and flexibility to challenge where a standard or assessment plan is not fulfilling their requirements, should this be needed.

Following a recent meeting with Darren Jones, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, regarding industrial policy and skills, he wrote and confirmed that, “the multiyear settlements the Government will agree as part of the Spending Review will provide both business and tertiary education providers the certainty they need to make investment decisions in the Liverpool City region, and across the country more generally.” Whilst we watch and wait for the Spending Review, one thing is certain during this rather choppy economic period – certainty and longevity in approach around skills, with the voices of Liverpool businesses clearly articulated in the system, will help unlock the region’s – as well as the UK’s –potential.

To find out more about the LSIP project, express an interest in joining one of the sector-specific ILP groups, or chat to us further about skills needs in your business, please do register your interest via https://www. liverpoolchamber.org.uk/local-skillsimprovement-plan/

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