Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs)
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Overview
Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) are a new employer-led initiative from the Department for Education (DfE) in England. They aim to reshape skills training provision to better meet the local needs of employers and the wider economy.
CITB has created Guidance to support construction employers working with Employer Representative Bodies (ERBs) on the creation of these plans.
The CITB Guidance document (PDF, 2.3MB) outlines three key themes and 11 practical tried-and-tested recommendations. These can be used by ERBs to support the creation of local plans, which include construction skills needs in the local community.
Each 3-year plan will identify the courses that should be delivered by training providers to address the local skills need.
Creation and implementation of LSIPs
The Department for Education (DfE) has designated 38 Employer Representative Bodies (ERBs) throughout England as responsible for developing a 3-year Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) for their area.
Working with the local Chambers of Commerce and other organisations, ERBs will consider the current and future local skills needs identified by the employers working with them. The final plans will outline what employers, training providers and stakeholders can do locally to support the delivery of training that meets those future skills needs.
It is expected that plans will be agreed by the Secretary of State in Summer 2023. LSIPs will initially run up to March 2025 with regular reviews to ensure they remain relevant.
Changes to the law mean that relevant training providers are under a duty to co-operate with ERBs and consider the LSIPs when constructing their post-16 technical education or training offer. Accountability will be evidenced through several mechanisms. These include Accountability Agreements with the DfE; Ofsted inspections; college annual reports; reviews of performance; and the department’s Performance Dashboard.
Government have announced that a Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF), available from financial year 2023-24, will support training providers to reduce barriers and make the changes identified in the LSIP. Ensuring that training offered aligns with local labour market needs.
CITB & the LSIP pilots
As leading experts in how training supports construction skills, CITB was a key partner in the LSIP pilots (2021-22). Working alongside trailblazer ERBs we were able to influence the inclusion of construction skills in their plans.
“CITB brought engagement and trusted relationships with businesses in the sector, as well as their own specific knowledge and understanding of construction issues and opportunities. This provided a depth of understanding that we could not have achieved on our own.”
Suzanne Caldwell, Managing Director, Cumbria Chamber of Commerce
CITB have been a key partner in the development of the LSIP Trailblazer in South Yorkshire. Their evidenced based research and engagement with construction employers, in addition to their knowledge of the construction sector, has helped to develop an LSIP plan that will drive construction skills and training opportunities across South Yorkshire.”
Daniel Fell, Chief Executive Office, South Yorkshire Skills Accelerator
This experience demonstrated to us that LSIPs offer a lasting opportunity to develop local skills systems that are more responsive, increase collaboration, and ensure skills provision is more accessible. For this approach to be successful, LSIPs need to drive employer engagement, especially amongst SMEs, in skills development and training.
CITB is perfectly placed to support ERBs to engage with the construction industry and encourage construction skills be included in LSIPs.
Support
We have created CITB Guidance document (PDF, 2.3MB) to support the development of LSIPs and to help our employers influence the inclusion of construction within those plans.
Three key themes are:
- Improve the availability of construction training
- Help people have successful construction careers
- Enable industry to grow by meeting future skills needs
These themes are outlined in more depth in our CITB Guidance document (PDF, 2.3MB) which also contains 11 practical tried-and-tested recommendations. Each of these will help ERBs address construction skills issues in their community through LSIPs.
Get in Touch
If you have any questions about the CITB Guidance or want to get involved with an LSIP in your local area please email us at: lsips@citb.co.uk
Useful Links
Employer Representative Bodies
Employer Representative Bodies for more information on all employer representative body (ERB) designations
More information about LSIPs