Businesses together with education and skills providers in the city are being asked to make a pledge and join the new plan to transform jobs and the economy in Leeds.
The new Future Talent Plan for Leeds presents a bold and ambitious new approach to bring together all elements of the employment, learning and training markets in the city to help connect people to opportunities and jobs.
The aim of Future Talent Leeds is to be influenced, created, and owned by the city and be adaptable and resilient to thrive in the face of change. This collaborative approach seeks to help people, businesses and the Leeds economy to flourish in a post-pandemic environment. It also aims to contribute to the council’s climate emergency response by promoting skills and opportunities associated with the green economy through low carbon and sustainable infrastructure.
The new plan is supported by Leeds City College and has already received pledges from groups including Women Friendly Leeds, 100% Digital Leeds and the West Yorkshire Green Jobs Taskforce. The Women Friendly Leeds pledge focuses on encouraging employers to be Women Friendly recruiters, while 100% Digital Leeds is committed to ensuring everyone in Leeds has equal opportunity to use digital tools, technology and services in the right way for them. The regional West Yorkshire Green Jobs Taskforce has made a series of pledges around the green economy, connecting employers to talent and encouraging progress within jobs, as well as the creation of a thousand new skilled jobs for young people.
The council says the key to success of Future Talent Leeds is a focus on maximising all available resources and partnerships. Improving education, training opportunities and addressing the digital skills gap are priority elements, working with higher and further education providers as well as with health partners in the city and wider region to create and align learning and training with the skills employers are looking for. This in turn will drive up standards and boost productivity across the city economy.
Deputy leader and executive member for economy, culture and education of Leeds City Council, Councillor Jonathan Pryor, said: “We are very excited to be launching Future Talent Leeds today and look forward to seeing businesses and organisations make pledges so we can all work together and shape the future of the city economy.
“This about boosting our city and regional economies as well as future-proofing so everyone can maximise their potential and enjoy fulfilling working careers.
“I’d like to thank everyone involved for their comments and enthusiasm to develop the plan, committing to taking on challenges head-on and embracing the future with confidence that Leeds will continue to be a compassionate, vibrant and innovative city with a strong economy for all to benefit from.”
Future Talent is a major refresh of the council’s Talent and Skills plan which was published in 2017. It offers a modern approach reflective of the significant changes which have affected the local economy since, including new national government policy, extra devolved powers plus the impacts of Brexit and Covid-19 which have brought considerable changes to industry trends and ways of working.
Its focus is on addressing issues such as unemployment, inclusion and diversity, digital skills and climate change whilst also ensuring support and skills are in place as the city continues to emerge from Covid-19.
To inform the plan, a citywide conversation took place in two stages at the end of last year, looking at all aspects and challenges influencing jobs and the economy in Leeds. More than 1,300 contributions were received, while there were also discussions held with a wide range of representatives of all ages and backgrounds including key stakeholders and partners including those from business, education and third-sector groups.
