Agenda item

This report updates the Committee on what actions are being undertaken by the Skills Team and ongoing outcomes with respect to the following aims of the Skills Plan: Developing, retaining and attracting Talent in York; and Making sure no one is left behind.

Members considered a report that updated them on what actions were being undertaken by the Skills Team (with stakeholders) and ongoing outcomes with respect to the following aims of the York Skills Plan: developing, retaining and attracting talent in York; and making sure no one was left behind.

The Learning City Partnership Manager was in attendance to give an update and she confirmed:

·        The Skills Plan would contribute towards ambitions set out in both the York Economic Strategy 2016-2020 and the Council Plan 2015-2019.

·        An outline of the key priorities, actions and ambitions of the Skills Plan was available on the Council website: https://www.york.gov.uk/downloads/download/3957/york_skills_plan_2017-2020

·        The York Economic Strategy aimed to make York a top 10 UK city for employment, with:

(i)           high employment rates

(ii)          high levels of skills and qualifications

(iii)        wages above national average by 2025

In terms of Objective 1: Members were informed of a new initiative called York Career Ready. The programme was being developed in partnership with various employers in York and would help support sixth form students and care leavers looking to stay and work locally to progress successfully into apprenticeships by providing them with masterclasses, company visits, mentoring and internships with local businesses.

The officer continued to outline the targets set for York and the progress against the objectives, focussing on the five essential ‘to-dos’.

Officers answered Members questions where it was noted that:

·        Outcomes from the York Apprenticeship Recruitment events and from the York Job Fairs were monitored.

·        The HGV driver gap was being addressed and apprenticeship training was available.

·        The heritage skills sector would be investigated and should the evidence show a shortage in this area an intervention would be considered.

·        European funded programmes would be honoured to 2020 and the winners of the two DWP bids (to support young people’s progression into employment, prevent NEETs (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) and support those that were NEET) would shortly be announced.

·        English Social Funding (or equivalent) would replace European Social Funding and the current European funding programme that officers were awaiting an outcome for would total around £850,000 for York over a 3 year period.

·        Officers were working with York St John University and Leeds City College on Objective 4. In response to employer demand, a number of higher/degree level apprenticeships for Laboratory Technicians, Data Science, Chartered Management and Master of Business Administration (MBA) had been developed. This area was also highlighted as amber in the Economic Strategy and officers agreed this objective required additional content in the Plan.

·        All apprenticeships recruited through the City of York Council apprenticeship programme were tracked and although some did not result in a permanent employment, they provided the relevant skills to seek a clear career path and employment within the region.

·         Apprenticeship taster sessions would be held in January 2019 for students in Year 11 in response to feedback and requests from members of Show Me That I Matter.

Some Members raised concerns regarding a number of schools removing the vocational and employability programmes for young people who were at risk of becoming NEET. The Corporate Director of Children, Education and Communities confirmed that school funding and how national league tables reported was a barrier but that the Local Authority had been engaging with staff that designed the curriculums for schools and colleges to encourage the use of more vocational learning to support the different learning needs and styles of young people. It was suggested that this issue could be a possible scrutiny review topic.

Members thanked officers for their update and noted that the Economic Growth Strategy was also being reviewed and would be brought to a future Children and Education & Communities Policy & Scrutiny Committee.

Resolved:

(i)           That the update be noted and that Members comments be taken into account when progressing the Plan.

(ii)          That the outcomes from the York Apprenticeship Recruitment events and York Job Fairs be provided at a future meeting.

(iii)        That Committee Members be emailed performance data around City of York Council apprenticeships.

Reason: To keep Members up to date on progress of the development of York’s Skills Plan 2017-20.