Bridging the Skills Gap: How the Marches LSIP is Delivering Funded Training Directly to Local Workforces
Finding and retaining staff with the right skills is one of the most persistent hurdles facing business owners.
How the Marches LSIP is Delivering Funded Training Directly to Local Workforces
Finding and retaining staff with the right skills is one of the most persistent hurdles facing business owners. Whether it is struggling to find qualified professionals or lacking the spare budget to upskill existing teams, the recruitment landscape can feel incredibly challenging.
The Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) was introduced by the UK Government to address these exact pressures. Rather than relying on top-down educational models, the LSIP acts as a strategic intervention to put regional employers firmly at the steering wheel of post-16 education and training. Led locally by the Shropshire Chamber of Commerce alongside the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, the project was created to close the gap between what training providers teach and what businesses actually need to grow.
The initiative began with an extensive research phase, gathering direct insights from hundreds of interviews with regional businesses across core sectors, including engineering, construction, health and social care, and professional services. Employers expressed clear frustration regarding regional skills shortages, a drain of talent to urban areas, and a lack of flexible, modular training options that avoid disrupting the standard working day. In response to this feedback, millions of pounds in government funding were unlocked via the Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF) and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This funding was used to completely reshape local college curriculums and invest in high-tech training facilities.
What Funded Training Is Available?
Following the business feedback gathered during the LSIP research, training providers had to pivot. Instead of long, rigid courses, the focus has shifted to funded, short, and “bite-sized” modules designed specifically to upskill workers efficiently.
Professional Services & Business Growth: To support businesses looking to promote from within, fully funded or heavily subsidised modules are available in Leadership & Management, sales, and essential account management. There is also a major push on digital literacy, offering short courses in data tools, intermediate Microsoft Excel, and fundamental IT support.
Trades & Construction: Addressing the intense demand for trade skills, targeted local funding has directly increased training capacity for plumbing and electrotechnical qualifications. Furthermore, new modules in green technologies, such as solar and heat pump installations, are live to ensure teams are equipped for modern environmental standards.
Engineering & Advanced Manufacturing: Backed by substantial LSIF investment, local technical academies have integrated real-world manufacturing upgrades, including multi-axis industrial robotics cells and advanced CNC/CAD suites, allowing local engineers to rapidly upskill in automation.
Workplace Readiness: The LSIP highlighted a clear need for better core workplace behaviors. As a result, colleges now run specific, fast-track training modules addressing communication and professional attitude to ensure new hires land on the job fully prepared.
Who Is Eligible for This Support?
The training programs and funding streams unlocked by the LSIP are primarily designed to empower Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) and local businesses, though larger employers expanding in the region can often benefit as well.
A business is generally eligible if:
The enterprise is actively trading and registered within the local authority region.
The training is aimed at upskilling current staff members, developing new team leaders, or supporting the business owners themselves.
The selected training modules directly relate to an employee’s current responsibilities or a defined internal promotion path.
How to Apply
Accessing these funded places has been streamlined to remove complex public-sector bureaucracy, ensuring busy business owners can secure training without getting bogged down in policy documents.
The centralised application process follows a few simple steps:
Review the Live Directories: Businesses can browse the fully updated, interactive course lists directly via the Marches Growth Hub.
Connect with a Business Advisor: For companies unsure of which modules align best with their workforce goals, a free diagnostic session can be requested with an impartial growth advisor via the hub. The advisor will map the business’s specific skill requirements against the available funding streams.
Submit an Expression of Interest: Because these courses are heavily subsidised or entirely funded by government allocations, places are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Submitting a quick interest form online secures the training slots for your staff ahead of the upcoming term.
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