Essential skills, including numeracy, literacy and digital, are key to supporting adults’ life chances, giving people the tools to thrive in life and work and to progress on to further learning. Yet one in four adults in England have low numeracy skills, and participation in essential skills learning has been plummeting.
In England, unlike many OECD countries, young adults performed no better in basic skills than those approaching retirement age – suggesting that over time, the basic skills of the English workforce could fall further behind other countries.
The Government’s Multiply scheme provides new resources from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to increase participation in numeracy provision. With the Shared Prosperity Fund Prospectus out, local governments are now tasked with producing investment plans for their Multiply and UKSPF indicative allocations.
How can local authorities use local data to inform and help shape their approaches to delivery? What works in engaging adults in essential skills provision and delivering support? At this event, we will explore how data on local skills needs and the labour market can help inform local and regional approaches, and explore evidence and best practice in what works.
Speakers:
Stephen Evans, Chief Executive, Learning and Work Institute
Fiona Aldridge, Head of Skills Insight, West Midlands Combined Authority
Henry Lawes, West of England Combined Authority
Helen George, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (Invited)