09/03/2022 - A new Employment and Skills Strategy for Luton is approved
Following engagement that allowed businesses, education providers, community groups and members of the public to shape its content, Luton Council’s Executive approved the launch of a new Employment and Skills Strategy for the town.
The strategy tackles the challenges of inequality faced in Luton whilst ensuring nobody is left behind as the town’s economy changes in the future. Skill gaps and the demands of Luton’s economy are identified, with the strategy proposing priorities to create inclusive growth. With growth distributed fairly across the town, Luton residents will be provided with greater access to the education, skills, and employment to support fulfilling, sustainable careers. In turn, securing these careers will enable the growth, diversity, and prosperity of Luton’s economy.
The Employment and Skills Strategy also seeks to overcome barriers to employment. Barriers can be diverse and personal but often relate to those of language, bias or discrimination, life responsibilities that prevent full time work, qualifications and systemic issues, including access to transport or the internet. By confronting these barriers, every Luton resident will be able to take advantage of employment and skills opportunities across the town.
Consultation on the Employment and Skills Strategy took place from September 2021 to January 2022, to produce a strategy that is reflective of Luton’s priorities and aspirations. These aspirations included the nurturing of an enterprising culture across Luton whilst fostering a diverse economy that accommodates a variety of careers. Respondents also wanted to enhance core employability and digital skills, improve signposting of employment opportunities to potential employees and nurture improved links between education providers and employers.
Throughout the lifetime of the strategy, forms of consultation and engagement will be undertaken to confirm that it remains reflective of Luton’s priorities and demands.
Councillor Aslam Khan, Portfolio Holder for Skills and Employability at Luton Council said “Our Employment and Skills Strategy represents a crucial foundation of our ambitions to make Luton a town that thrives and one where no-one is left behind. I’m proud that this strategy is truly a product of our community. A thorough consultation with the public and local stakeholders has given them a chance to have their say over Luton’s future economy”.
“The strategy is therefore owned, designed and created by Luton. Only by giving our residents a stake and a voice in our Luton 2040 vision can we achieve it. It’s a bold statement of intent that will create a prosperous, future-proof local economy; an economy that will provide our residents with skills to succeed within the market and Luton’s businesses with access to a pipeline of talent”.
Cath Gunn, Barnfield College Principal, said “The strategy reinforces the role that skills and education play in realising the town’s vision. There is a real focus on removing barriers, raising aspirations and equipping our whole community for the modern economy. Lifelong skills education will be vital to the future success of Luton – Barnfield College is proud to be part of that vision.”
Luton’s Employment & Skills Strategy can be found here: https://democracy.luton.gov.uk/cmis5public/Meetings/tabid/70/ctl/ViewMeetingPublic/mid/397/Meeting/5934/Committee/1106/Default.aspx