RSP Priorities

The South West Regional Skills Partnership (RSP) has identified four main Priorities for action and three sub priorities for the period 2007-2010.  These are issues on which the RSP, either by taking a lead, or by co-ordinating the efforts of other agencies, is able to add value to the skills, enterprise and employment agenda in the region.  It recognises fully the contributions of the key agencies within the region that take the lead on specific aspects of the agenda. In this respect the RSP has a critical role in monitoring progress.

Three key themes emerge from the analysis of the needs of the region, all of which are closely linked to the region's competitiveness.  They are:

Productivity – to ensure that SW businesses have access to the right skills and business practices to improve their productivity. 
Progression – to ensure the availability of effective routes for progression to enable people to maximise their potential within the workforce, addressing issues of equality and diversity.
Sustainability – to ensure that the development of the region is sustainable, maximizing the impact of the public resources that are deployed, encouraging investment by individuals and businesses, and planning for the future.

The main priorities for 2007-2010 are:

• Improving leadership and management skills
• Developing the enterprise skills of all ages within the SW 
• Developing the skills to increase innovation and creativity within the SW economy
• Ensuring that the skills needs of the regional economy, and in key sectors in particular, are addressed at level 3 and above (including higher education)

There are other areas which whilst not being priorities per se (referred to in the Statement as sub priorities), they are nevertheless areas which the Partnership needs to monitor closely and may need to influence, these are:

• Supporting effective strategies for the integration of migrant workers
• Supporting the development of an integrated all age Information, Advice and Guidance service
• Supporting strategies for the reduction of NEETS
  

The SW RSP Priorities will be supported by three underpinning activities:

• Joint planning
• Promoting investment in skills  
• Generating robust intelligence and monitoring impact

In addition to the Sectoral Analysis which underpins this statement it has highlighted a number of issues that need to be addressed by Partners including:

• Cross cutting activities, and
• Gaps and shortages