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Heart of the South West Local Skills Report Launched

Education and skills shape a place. They provide the foundation for its economic personality, set the tone for its industrial and social mix, and contribute to its overall prosperity, providing the foundation for both growth and equity. We know that the most successful places and prosperous communities are underpinned by strong educational and skills performance; with those areas with the highest appetite for learning and the ability to harness such talent being those that most thrive.

The Heart of the South West is no different. Its economy is shaped and led by the skills of its residents and businesses. The skills of its workforce underpin its economic potential; whether through providing the essential technical skills which drive high-value engineering and manufacturing; the insight and innovation that fuel our knowledge economy and the work of its universities; or providing the day-to-day leadership of small and micro businesses that form the backbone of every community. Supported by its strong schools, colleges and universities, as well as a network of dedicated private training providers and active employers, the area has real depth in its capacity to harness its skills and training capacity, and through doing so improved prosperity.

Over the past 18 months, the Heart of the South West Skills Advisory Panel (‘SAP’) has brought partners together to address these shared challenges; working in unison to understand how we can improve skills outcomes for all, and champion shared approaches, projects and investments that will make a difference. SAP and Local Enterprise Partnership (‘LEP’) working has already done much to progress skills uptake, promote aspiration and delivery opportunities over the past few years. Building on the strong partnership ethos already in place between business, skills providers and wider stakeholders within the Heart of the South West we believe that there is more progress that can now be made on this crucial agenda.

The Heart of the South West Local Skills Report sets out the next step on that journey. It provides a shared skills blueprint for the area with a single vision at its heart, that every individual in the Heart of the South West should be able to access the skills they need to thrive in a productive job they value, supporting businesses, inclusion and growth.

Read the Local Skills Report

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      David Ralph

      Chief Executive

      David Ralph started as Chief Executive of Heart of South West LEP at the beginning of June 2018. Previously, he had spent 5 years as CEO of the Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire (D2N2) LEP from 2013 where he oversaw the development of the D2N2 Strategic Economic Plan and sector strategies, 3 Growth Deals with HM Government to deliver a £1billion capital investment programme, securing and implementing £200m ESIF programme, the Derby and Nottingham Enterprise Zone, the D2N2 Skills Deal and Time for Innovation programme, community fund and led the executive team to develop the HS2 East Midlands hub. He was also closely involved in the proposed North Midlands Devolution Deal and one of the key architects in establishing the Midlands Engine, chairing the officer steering group. Whilst in this role David was a NED of the Nottingham Enterprise Zone, and Marketing NG, the Outer Estates Foundation and a Governor of Nottingham College and on the advisory Board of Nottingham Business School.

      Before the East Midlands, David was CEO of the Have Gateway Partnership working closely with local stakeholders including the ports of Felixstowe, Harwich and Ipswich and BT Adadastral Park across Suffolk and Essex and prior to that was Chief Exec of the Barton Hill New Deal for Communities programme in Bristol and the Nelm Development Trust in Norwich.

      David is a keen sailor, walker and trail runner.