Regional Skills Forum (South-West)
In 2016 a new Network of Regional Skills Fora was created as part of the Government’s National Skills Strategy to provide an additional opportunity for employers and the education and training system to work together to meet the emerging skills needs of their regions. It is intended that more structured engagement on the skills agenda at a regional level will contribute to better outcomes for learners and support enterprise development. – See more here.
Main Features:
• a single contact point in each region to help employers connect with the range of services and supports available across the education and training system
• more robust and regionalised labour market information and analysis of employer needs to inform programme development
• greater collaboration and utilisation of resources across the education and training system (further and higher) in the region and enhancement of progression routes for learners
• a structure for employers to become more involved in promoting employment roles and opportunities for career progression in their sectors
– See more here.
Regional Skills Forum (South West) to date has drawn together employers in different sectors and worked to consolidate skills needs seeking to influence curriculum etc. CIT acts as employer of the Regional Skills Forum Manager on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills who fund the initiative. CIT has a place on the Education and Training Provider group as well as the larger Steering Group of the Regional Forum.
Additional information:
Regional Skills Forum Managers (9 in total in each of the regions) are funded by the Department of Education and Skills. Efforts are focused on ensuring that relevant and up to date data is available at regional level to inform skills and regional development conversations. This has included data on employment patterns in the various regions as well as education and employment trends and data extracted from the census and central statistics office to ensure that the evidence base is sound.
