A significant multi-million pound investment in skills and training is to be discussed at next week’s meeting of the West of England Combined Authority in Bath.
The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) has committed £50m to improving residents’ skills over the next 20 years, ensuring people living in the West of England have the right skills for the region’s businesses – now and into the future.
The meeting, on Friday 14th June, at 2pm in the Guildhall in Bath, will discuss projects to improve employment opportunities for people with learning disabilities; work with 14-16-year-olds to support them into education, employment or training, and boosting much needed technical skills for people in the region.
West of England Mayor, Tim Bowles said: “Improving job opportunities, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, can fulfil their potential is one of my key ambitions for the region.
“We’re already supporting young people through our Careers Hub, and improving skills to help people succeed at work with Future Bright. The new projects we’ll be discussing could help even more people to improve their futures.”
The Combined Authority is also developing a draft West of England Employment and Skills Plan, developed in partnership with businesses and skills providers, in line with the region’s Local Industrial Strategy.
People are encouraged to view the draft plan and comment on the priorities identified and actions proposed, by 26th June.
A summary of the draft plan and the full document can be found at www.westofengland-ca.gov.uk/employment-and-skills-plan.
Tim Bowles added: “The plan is about making sure we support our people, communities, and businesses to thrive, and that we are develop the skills we need for the future, to grow our economy in ways that also protect our environment.”
The WECA Committee will also be discussing the devolved Adult Education Budget allocations for the next financial year at its 14th June meeting.
For more details, including information on the agenda items, visit www.westofengland-ca.gov.uk/meetings. The meeting will also be webcast live and an archive recording will be made available afterwards, via the website.