Local Skills Improvement Fund

DCG is playing a pivotal role in developing major projects designed to meet the skills priorities of local employers.

Staff are working on three forward-thinking initiatives set to transform green productivity, digital know-how and essential employability skills in the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire (D2N2) sub-region.

The projects are being supported through the government’s £165 million Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF) which will build the capacity of the further education sector to develop new courses that future-proof the economy and the career prospects of the next generation.

Working with other education providers in the D2N2 area, DCG has received LSIF funding to help with the development of:

• Digital Knowledge Exchange Hubs
• Green Productivity Hubs
• Essential Skills Hubs

The funding award was made to support a new localised strategy that will arm people with the skills Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire’s businesses most urgently need to meet economic, technological, climate and social challenges.

The three-year Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) was devised under a Department for Education scheme designed to place local employers at the heart of each region’s skills system.

The LSIP for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire was delivered by the local branch of the Federation of Small Businesses who consulted with local employers of all sizes and sectors to understand what skills, capabilities, qualifications and attributes companies need from their staff. It has also involved working with education and training providers such as DCG to ensure the right range and calibre of courses are being delivered to align with employers’ expectations.