The West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is involved in range of activities that support skills provision in the region. Below are a list of current projects and resources.

  • West of England LEP Skills Prospectus

The growing economy in the West of England region is growing, creating new jobs across Bristol. High quality, industry informed training can help people to meet the demands of these jobs, and the West of England Skills Prospectus outlines how and where you can do this.

Produced by the LEP, the Prospectus outlines what’s on offer from colleges and other providers across the Zone’s priority sectors, and highlights how training and education providers are collectively meeting the needs of the local economy. It also explains how the LEP is tackling future skills needs based on this year’s sector statements and key findings from their research.

Copies of the Prospectus have been distributed to schools, colleges, local authorities and other partners across the West of England, and you can read it online. You can request hard copies by emailing skills@westofengland.org.

  • Careers & Enterprise Company

The Careers & Enterprise Company, a central government initiative, aims to inspire young people and helps them to prepare for and take control of their futures by filling the gaps in the provision of careers and enterprise activities across the country and increasing employer engagement with young people. Via the West of England LEP, they are currently looking for volunteers in the region from the world of work to be Enterprise Advisers, who will work closely with the Senior Leadership Team in local schools to develop their careers, enterprise strategies and employer engagement plans, drawing on local business networks.

If you are interested in this opportunity and want to know more, please contact the LEP Enterprise Coordinator Beverly Walker at Beverly.walker@westofengland.org.

  • National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) 2016 toolkits

NAW 2016 takes place on 14 – 18 March, celebrating apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, businesses and the wider economy. In preparation for the week, you can download a toolkit containing information and activity suggestions.

The West of England LEP produces a weekly bulletin of all apprenticeship vacancies in the region, and will be re-launching their current Apprenticeship Hub West website during Apprenticeship week.

  • Do you employee Apprentices?

The West of England LEP is championing local employers, colleges and training providers who have taken on apprentices, and would like to hear from you if you would like your business to feature in a case study. These case studies will be utilised over 2016 across the LEP website, featured in local press and in LEP publications. If you are interested in supplying a case study of your business and your apprentice(s), please contact Marina.traversari@westofengland.org.

  • 2016 Apprenticeship Awards

The West of England LEP are pleased to be supporting the ‘Small Employer of the Year’ award at this year’s Bath Chronicle & Bristol Post Apprenticeship Awards. The aim of the awards is to celebrate the best and brightest apprentices, and the awards are open to companies which employ apprentices as well. They can be firms employing just a handful of people to those with hundreds of staff on their books. More information on categories and how to nominate is available online.