A new partnership between West Yorkshire’s Mayor and seven Further Education colleges aims to upskill students into local jobs to support businesses and grow the economy.
Announcing the Further Education partnership, which has been signed by the West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges and every college Principal in the region, Mayor Tracy Brabin pledged to “put more money in people’s pockets” by ensuring that college courses better reflect local job opportunities.
According to the agreement published today (10 February), every college across Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield will work to strengthen their relationships with local businesses to respond to their skills needs, including through the co-creation of courses to guarantee direct pathways into good jobs.
The agreement follows the publication of the multibillion-pound West Yorkshire Local Growth Plan, which promises joined up action on skills, housing and transport to build an eco-system that supports small and medium-sized firms to grow and succeed.
Through deeper devolution and partnership working with colleges, the Mayor aims to build a skills system that can support the region’s fastest-growing business sectors, including financial and professional services, advanced manufacturing and engineering, and health and life sciences.
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “Here in West Yorkshire, we’re building a region of learning and creativity, with our seven excellent colleges equipping our residents with the skills they need to flourish.
“But to realise the enormous potential of our economy, we must revolutionise our approach to skills training, with a relentless focus on the jobs and the sectors of the future.
“By working in partnership with business, we’ll ensure that every college graduate has a clear pathway into employment, supporting them to put more money in their pockets and contribute to a stronger, brighter economy.”
