News: South Yorkshire chambers unite to drive skills revolution
South Yorkshire’s business community is taking decisive action to reshape the region’s skills system, as the three Chambers of Commerce — Doncaster, Sheffield, and Barnsley & Rotherham — launch the next phase of the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP).
The initiative, funded by Skills England, aims to move the region from diagnosis to delivery, ensuring that South Yorkshire’s workforce is equipped with the skills, training, and opportunities needed to power sustainable economic growth. It directly supports Mayor Oliver Coppard’s Plan for Good Growth, which sets out a vision for an inclusive, innovative, and resilient regional economy.
For years, employers have expressed frustration that the skills system has been too fragmented and complex to access. While the first LSIP gathered valuable insights, this next phase will turn evidence into action, creating a system that works for both learners and businesses.
Dan Fell, Chief Executive of Doncaster Chamber, said the message from employers was clear: “The ambition to build a skills system that truly works for employers and learners is absolutely right but the pace of change must now accelerate. This next stage is about delivery, not diagnosis. We need to ensure that every part of the system — from training providers to policymakers — is aligned with what our economy actually needs to thrive.”
Over the next six months, the three Chambers will lead a major consultation process across the region, convening a series of Workforce Development Partnerships. These partnerships will bring together employers, colleges, universities, independent training providers, and policymakers to identify the specific skills South Yorkshire needs to compete in the future economy. They will focus on growth sectors including advanced manufacturing, digital transformation, clean energy, logistics, creative industries, and emerging technologies.
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Louisa Harrison-Walker, Chief Executive of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, said the collaborative approach is key to success. “We’re bringing together every part of the ecosystem — business, education, and government — to ensure we build a skills system that’s truly fit for the future. Employers have told us they want flexibility, responsiveness, and training that keeps pace with technology and innovation. This process is vital now more than ever to achieve the growth and productivity required to drive South Yorkshire forward.”
The new LSIP builds on findings from the first plan, which ran from 2023 to 2025 and engaged hundreds of employers across South Yorkshire. It revealed consistent challenges: the growing importance of digital skills, a shortage of technical expertise, and an urgent need to strengthen leadership and management capacity. Businesses also highlighted the need for more adaptable, modular training options and better pathways connecting education with employment.
Carrie Sudbury, Chief Executive of Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber, said that embedding flexibility and inclusivity will be central to the next phase. “We need to make sure that every learner, whether they’re entering the workforce for the first time or retraining mid-career, can access opportunities that work for them. This is about building a system that’s open, inclusive, and ready for change. The Chambers are united in our belief that South Yorkshire can lead the way in showing what an employer-led skills system really looks like.”
The LSIP will also use big data and real-time labour market analysis to track regional demand, identify gaps in training provision, and inform funding decisions. This evidence-based approach will ensure that policy and investment decisions are grounded in local realities rather than national assumptions.
The Chambers will share interim findings early next year, with the final LSIP report submitted to Skills England in 2026. In the meantime, the partnership is calling on employers of all sizes and sectors to get involved.
BR Chamber website
Images: BR Chamber
The initiative, funded by Skills England, aims to move the region from diagnosis to delivery, ensuring that South Yorkshire’s workforce is equipped with the skills, training, and opportunities needed to power sustainable economic growth. It directly supports Mayor Oliver Coppard’s Plan for Good Growth, which sets out a vision for an inclusive, innovative, and resilient regional economy.
For years, employers have expressed frustration that the skills system has been too fragmented and complex to access. While the first LSIP gathered valuable insights, this next phase will turn evidence into action, creating a system that works for both learners and businesses.
Dan Fell, Chief Executive of Doncaster Chamber, said the message from employers was clear: “The ambition to build a skills system that truly works for employers and learners is absolutely right but the pace of change must now accelerate. This next stage is about delivery, not diagnosis. We need to ensure that every part of the system — from training providers to policymakers — is aligned with what our economy actually needs to thrive.”
Over the next six months, the three Chambers will lead a major consultation process across the region, convening a series of Workforce Development Partnerships. These partnerships will bring together employers, colleges, universities, independent training providers, and policymakers to identify the specific skills South Yorkshire needs to compete in the future economy. They will focus on growth sectors including advanced manufacturing, digital transformation, clean energy, logistics, creative industries, and emerging technologies.
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Louisa Harrison-Walker, Chief Executive of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, said the collaborative approach is key to success. “We’re bringing together every part of the ecosystem — business, education, and government — to ensure we build a skills system that’s truly fit for the future. Employers have told us they want flexibility, responsiveness, and training that keeps pace with technology and innovation. This process is vital now more than ever to achieve the growth and productivity required to drive South Yorkshire forward.”
The new LSIP builds on findings from the first plan, which ran from 2023 to 2025 and engaged hundreds of employers across South Yorkshire. It revealed consistent challenges: the growing importance of digital skills, a shortage of technical expertise, and an urgent need to strengthen leadership and management capacity. Businesses also highlighted the need for more adaptable, modular training options and better pathways connecting education with employment.
Carrie Sudbury, Chief Executive of Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber, said that embedding flexibility and inclusivity will be central to the next phase. “We need to make sure that every learner, whether they’re entering the workforce for the first time or retraining mid-career, can access opportunities that work for them. This is about building a system that’s open, inclusive, and ready for change. The Chambers are united in our belief that South Yorkshire can lead the way in showing what an employer-led skills system really looks like.”
The LSIP will also use big data and real-time labour market analysis to track regional demand, identify gaps in training provision, and inform funding decisions. This evidence-based approach will ensure that policy and investment decisions are grounded in local realities rather than national assumptions.
The Chambers will share interim findings early next year, with the final LSIP report submitted to Skills England in 2026. In the meantime, the partnership is calling on employers of all sizes and sectors to get involved.
BR Chamber website
Images: BR Chamber
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