PEOPLE, SKILLS, PROSPERITY · our prosperity and the payoff will be enormous: a much more competitive position for our local businesses and a better quality of life for our local

Bradford District’sWorkforce Development Plan

PEOPLE, SKILLS, PROSPERITY

2 Bradford District’s Workforce Development Plan

People, Skills and Prosperity, is thefirst workforce development plan forthe Bradford District. This plan buildson the district’s bold economic strategyPioneering, Confident and Connected,which provides the vision for a strongermore inclusive economic future for thedistrict.The people of Bradford are key to thesuccess of the district. A successfuleconomy in Bradford is dependent onthe skills of the people who live and workhere. Everyone who lives, works andruns business in the district has a role toplay in improving skills at all levels fromentry through to PhD. The plan has beendeveloped with businesses, educationand skills providers, community groupsand the people of the district. It is thispartnership that is the key to delivering thevision it sets out.

A successful economy will driveour prosperity and the payoff will beenormous: a much more competitiveposition for our local businesses and abetter quality of life for our local people.This plan sets out the context in Bradfordand how we will improve our skill levelsthrough building the skills employers seek,improving job quality in the district andconnecting our communities to good jobsand careers, building a skills system thatworks for everyone.

FOREWORD

CouncillorImran KhanPortfolioHolder forEducation,Employmentand Skills


Strong businesses drive economic growth,and for businesses to thrive and prosper,we need a skilled workforce. Developingthe skills of people in the district, andimportantly making sure that young peoplein schools gain the qualification andexperience they need to drive success itan essential part of our shared success.This plan sets out what we will do together,business, the council, education and skillsproviders and other partners to make surethat we offer routes to the skills we need;

develop skills for people who are in workand connect all of out communities toprosperity.

AndrewLaverMD ArnoldLaver andChair ofBradford ICE

Bradford District’s Workforce Development Plan 3

This strategy has been developedfollowing a significant consultationprocess. Right across the systemeveryone agreed that we need a root andbranch change to the way it works.The district has made substantialprogress working in partnership tosupport jobseekers into sustainable workand building credible partnerships withemployers to influence education andtraining. Across the district, there are arange of promising initiatives by partnershelping to address deeper challenges

around employer engagement, skillsdevelopment, and community prosperity.It is important that we collaborateeffectively as a true system to furtherdevelop and diversify the current set ofworkforce programmes. Partners needshared communication tools and effectiveinformation sharing systems to ensurethe system quickly adapts to changingbusiness need. Above all we mustbetter connect our workforce system toeconomic development activities, so allour communities can benefit from growth.Bradford is a district of opportunity withhigher numbers of young people thanaverage progressing to Higher Education,increasing employment rates and adistinctive economic growth. Howeverthe data indicates that the benefit is notbeing felt by all communities or residents.age, gender, ethnicity and qualificationlevels are all key factors in accessing thelabour market and in the type of work thatpeople secure.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

A PIONEERING,CONFIDENT ANDCONNECTED DISTRICT

Our vision is simple: to connect andsecure all our residents and communitieswith economic opportunity and supportour businesses to access the talent anddevelop the skills they need to prosper.

This plan sets out activity and actions forthe next five years. By the end of 2023 weaim to have secured jobs for 8,000 morelocal people and 20,000 more Level 3s inthe workforce compared to the baselinesused for the Economic Strategy.

VISION

OUR TARGETS

At the same time many of the employersin the district experience difficultiesrecruiting to their vacancies and havepersistent skills gaps. There is a clearimperative to connect those communitiesthat are under-represented in theworkforce with opportunities to work.There is a resource implication to this too.We do not have either the skills capitalinvestment or revenue funding that willsupport the delivery of our ambitioustargets for the District. Our response tothis is to repurpose and better coordinateexisting funding and work with businessesto stimulate private investment but we alsoneed central government to help resourceprovision to up-skill our workforce.





OUR PLAN

Build theskillsemployersseek

Improvejob quality

Connectcommunitiesto good jobsand careers

To be the UK’s fastest growing economy overthe coming decade, increasing the value of oureconomy by £4 billion and getting 20,000 morepeople into work

THREE KEYTHEMES

WE WILL

SUSTAINABLEEnsuring growth protectsand enhances our naturalenvironment

INCLUSIVEEnsuring everyone cancontribute to and benefitfrom growth

ONEAMBITION

PeopleOur young anddiverse populationprovides Bradfordwith a uniqueadvantage

BusinessOur innovativeand productivebusinesses givethe platformfor growth

PlaceOur diverse placeand communitiesprovide a rangeof live and workopportunities

Expand sectorbased workforcedevelopment

Ensure peoplemake informeddecisions ontheir future careers

Maximise anchorinstitutions’economic power

Develop a one-stopshop to supportbusiness talentneeds

Support lowskilled jobseekersinto work and toprogress in workDevelop aninclusivecommunitylearning plan

TWOPRINCIPLES

THREESTRATEGICASSETS

1 3 5

2 4 6


Bradford has a proud history ofindustrial, social and economic success.Our people, our places, our uniquecountryside, our history and our talent arecoming together – connecting us acrossthe UK and around the world to newopportunities. We know that we can builda great future for our people by deliveringeconomic growth that leaves no onebehind.The district’s Economic Strategy,“Pioneering, Confident and Connected”set out our plans to do that by increasingbusiness productivity, and supportingyoung and enterprising people toinnovate, invest and build fulfilling lives inthe district.We are proud of the great work thatis happening to deliver Pioneering,Confident and Connected. BradfordEconomic Partnership is taking decisiveaction to realise the ambitions of thisstrategy by leading and driving rapid andlasting change. At the very heart of thestrategy is our target to be better than

the UK averages for productivity, jobs,earnings and skills.By 2030 this will mean at least 20,000more people in work across the district,48,000 more local people will havesecured a Level 3 qualification, and GVAwill have grown by £4billion in the localeconomy.Every child, young person and adultneeds to be empowered to benefitfrom this growth and drive furtherimprovements in workforce productivity.At the same time our businesses need thetalent pipeline that can deliver a workforcewith the skills they need, when they needthem. These two considerations arecentral to achieving our ambitions forBradford.People, Skills, Prosperity considers wherewe are currently as a district and how wecan collectively capitalise on our currentstrengths and successes to achieve thecommon goals of our partners, and indoing so, raise up all of our communities.

PART ONE:A PIONEERING, CONFIDENT ANDCONNECTED DISTRICT1

RAISE GVA BY

£4bn20,000

MORE PEOPLE INTOWORK

48,000MORE PEOPLE WITH NVQ3

LEVEL SKILLSINTRODUCTION


This section draws out keyconsiderations relating to our priorities,informed by this research and thenational policycontext.

p publicadministration,education andhealth

p distribution hotelsand restaurants

p banking financeand insurance

p manufacturingp transportation

The five sectorsthat employ themost Bradfordresidents are:

Employment and economic activityBradford faces some substantial labourmarket challenges in ensuring that allour communities and residents areaccessing work. The longer-term trendis positive and employment continues torise in the district, but our employmentremains lower in Bradford than inthe wider West Yorkshire CombinedAuthority

Travel to Work

THE EMPLOYMENT AND SKILLSCONTEXT FOR BRADFORD

Bradford does have strong growth in manyareas and is a distinct area within thesebroader geographies. Manufacturingemployment has grown faster than in WestYorkshire Combined Authority or LeedsCity Region (LCR).p Employment in accommodation and

food services has grown substantially incommon with West Yorkshire CombinedAuthority and the City Region.

p Bradford has experienced substantialgrowth in employment in informationand communication services similar to

West Yorkshire Combined Authorityand stronger than the LEP area.

p Finance and insurance employmentgrew in Bradford but has fallen in WestYorkshire Combined Authority andLCR.

p Bradford has seen much loweremployment growth than WestYorkshire Combined Authority and LCRin the related sectors of professional,scientific and technical services, andbusiness administration and supportservices.


Data from the 2011 Census showed:

70%of employed Bradfordresidents work in Bradford

72% of Bradford’sworkers livein the district

28% of Bradford’s workerstravel to work fromoutside the district

30% of employed Bradfordresidents work outsideof the district



EMPLOYMENT TRENDS

More women areeconomically inactive

BME men werealso more likely to be

unemployed

• Age is a significant factor for economicactivity with high numbers under 19 and over 35

with a significant number over 65There is significant ethnic difference in the

economic inactivity rates for women

Young people aged 16–19 and peopleof retirement age, 65 and over, have very high

rates of inactivity

EMPLOYMENT IN

has grownsubstantially, the sameas WYCA and LCR+

Information &Communication

Services EMPLOYMENT IN

Has grown more thanWYCA and LCR+

Finance & InsuranceServices

EMPLOYMENT IN

has grownsubstantially, the sameas WYCA and LCR+

Accommodation &Food Services

EMPLOYMENT IN

Has experienced lowgrowth+

Scientific & TechnicalServices

EMPLOYMENT IN

Has experienced lowgrowth+

Business Admin &Support Services

EMPLOYMENT IN

Has grown morethan West YorkshireComined Authority(WYCA) or Leeds CityRegion (LCR)

+Manufacturing



There has also been acceleration inthe growth of low pay and insecureemployment. Too many residents arein, or moving in and out of, low-paid andinsecure employment with few chancesto progress into better-paid and morestable jobs.

Meeting employer demandThere is evidence that locally we haveemployers struggling to meet theirworkforce needs. The 2017 EmployerSkills Survey (ESS) shows that nationallyand regionally, there was no change inthe number of employers with vacanciesin 2017 compared to 2015. However theLeeds City Region area and Bradfordboth recorded an increase in vacancies– LCR had an increase to 22 per centin 2017 from 19 per cent in 2015 whileBradford recorded an increase from 19per cent in 2015 to 23 per cent in 2017.

Growth of insecure employmentThere has also been acceleration inthe growth of low pay and insecureemployment. Too many residents arein, or moving in and out of, low-paid,insecure employment, with few chancesto progress into better-paid and morestable jobs.

The Workforce Development SystemThe inequalities in the labour market andthe difficulties businesses experiencewith training and recruitment are in partbecause of how the current employmentand skills system operates.

The national picture is one of constantreform and a lack of alignment andcoordination. For example, research by theLocal Government Association found thatacross the wider economic developmentlandscape there are at least 70 differentfunding streams, managed by 22 deliveryagencies or government departments.This investment is not meeting localneed, addressing economic and socialchallenges, or making a decisive impacton outcomes for people or business in ourdistrict. A key theme of this plan’s actions isgreater local co-ordination of budgets andprovision.

The Future World of WorkWe recognise that there are significantchanges in the world of work that willimpact the workforce and demand forskills over the coming decade with greaterautomation, increased casualisation ofwork in our district and region, alongside

2015

2017

2015

2

017



the changes that leaving the EU willproduce. There will also be significantopportunities presented by localinfrastructure developments and acrossthe wider Leeds City Region economy.Meeting the future needs of the economywill mean investing in the skills of thosewho are in work today, as well as thosewho are yet to enter the workforce. Thetwin elements of effective adult educationand skills as well as employer involvementin education are critical to achieving theseaims.The scale and impact of these changesis difficult to predict. What is clear is thatwe need a system which is agile enoughto respond quickly to these and otherchallenges.

A New Way of WorkingFor the system to work better forbusinesses and for individuals, we haveto find new ways of working together. Allpartners have a vital role in this system –the Council; employers; schools, trainingproviders ; central government includingthe DWP; the voluntary sector, the LocalEnterprise Partnership all working to ashared plan and set of goals .This plan sets out the framework for thisleadership bringing a “whole systems”approach to improving skills. It sets outwhat we will do in Bradford to improveour systems and to make the currentdisconnected services work better for thedistrict.This approach to place leadership will bringtogether and localise support to reducecosts, complexity and duplication willimprove access to services, and respondto community and business needs.

Towards DevolutionChanges to LEP boundaries andgovernance, the development of localindustrial strategies and early indications ofhow the Shared Prosperity Fund (that willreplacing EU funding) will be distributed,reinforce the idea that the devolutionagenda will continue to progress. It iscertainly anticipated that, despite thegeography not currently being clear,there will be a devolution deal that coversBradford during the life of this plan and thatthe plan is agile enough to respond to this.



Resourcing the PlanMaking best use of existing resources -we will work as a partnership to seek touse existing national and local fundingstreams to create a systemic structure andthe interventions that support skill-buildingand advancement.Partners are already workingcollaboratively and committing significantresource to local programmes as hasbeen the case with the Industrial Centresof Excellence and we will extend thisacross the skills landscape.Seeking additional resources - achievingour ambitions will also require sustainedincreased public revenue and capitalinvestment. This includes the additionalfunding from ESFA that will be needed

when we achieve our ambition ofincreasing the numbers of qualificationsat level 3 and 4 and above that are in theplan.As the district deepens its engagementwith employers, new opportunities willarise to leverage private investments onbehalf of both jobseekers and the currentworkforce.


To realise ourambition a seriesof priority actionsare outlinedbelow focussingon three keyareas

PART TWO:OUR PLAN2

CONNECTING OURCOMMUNITIES TO GOOD

JOBS AND CAREERS

IMPROVINGJOB QUALITY

BUILDING SKILLSEMPLOYERS SEEK

321

THEME ONE:BUILDING SKILLS EMPLOYERS SEEK

remain in-step with employer demand.Over 300 businesses are engagedwith ICE, of which 28 sit on one of theexisting five ICE Boards. Eighteen of oursecondary schools, the three FurtherEducation colleges, and the University ofBradford are also all key partners.

Ice DiagramAll young people need a range ofknowledge, skills and habits to becomesuccessful and thrive. The BradfordPathways essentials skills frameworkidentifies those skills most desirable for

To deliver the growth ambitions in the Economic Strategy it is critical that Bradford’sbusinesses can efficiently recruit local people with job-relevant skills and education.Implementing our actions will ensure that children, young people and adult jobseekersgain the education, training, experience, and employment connections needed to securea stable job that pays a living wage.

Through a sector based developmentprogrammeICE are sector based education andbusiness partnerships for aligninglocal skills provision with workforceplanning. At its heart an ICE is a forumfor regular dialogue between employersand educators that ensures educationprogrammes and learning experiences

EXPANDING SECTORBASED WORKFORCEDEVELOPMENTA

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Through leveraging the influence ofthe systemThe Education Covenant is a way forcommunity stakeholders to collaborateand achieve change. The overarching goalis to align collective resources to ensureall young people succeed in education,work and life, leading to vibrant, thrivingcommunities.Simply put, our Education Covenantis about everyone in Bradford keepingeducation a top priority mobilising thecommunity to collaborate and deliverthrough its key objectives:p Helping schools and teachers raise

standards.p Supporting parents to get children ready

for school, work and life.p Working with businesses and colleges

to boost career options.p Championing the District’s unique art

and culture.

this success such as communication,critical thinking, problem solving,entrepreneurship and leadership. It wasdesigned with local businesses and furtherdeveloped by the Bradford ResearchSchool to be delivered through a rangeof activities that enhances students’classroom experiences.

Development of higher level skillsThe District has good levels of progressioninto Higher Education for young peoplewho attain a Level 3 qualification. We needto maintain and build upon this in particularto grow the number of PhD holders.Through the ICE partnership and otherstrategic interventions we will also work toimprove links between higher level skillsdelivery and employers. This recognisesthat a strong offer around higher levelskills will enhance workforce developmentthrough innovation, and stimulate thecreation of higher value jobs in the localeconomy.

ICE Approach for Careers and Technical Education

Career Exploration and PreparationCareer Exploration

ICE programme of study / pathway

Key Stage 4 (age 14-16) Post 16 FE / HEKey Stage 3 (age 11-13)

●● Careers awarenesseducation programmealigned to BradfordSector Framework

●● ICE awarenessand promotion

●● ICE cohort recruitment 4 Year Sector Based Curriculum Enrichment Programme

Integrated Contextualised Work-Related Learning

Work Based Learning Placements

Business Informed and Engaged

Experiential Pedagogy

FE /HE

Paths

Academic Qualification(s)(relevant to sector)

Technical Qualification(s)(relevant to sector)

GCSE options mix(relevant to sector)

Technical Qualification(s)(relevant to sector)

Summer Programmes


Delivering a careers and skills curriculumBradford Pathways provides an overallframework for careers and technicaleducation in the District and involveschildren, young people and adults in allphases of education and careers.A local career pathway system is apartnership among local and nationalagencies, organisations, institutions, andemployers that has adopted an integrative,transformative career pathways approach.

Developing an all age careersservice offerPeople can only make good careerschoices if they have good quality reliableinformation on which to make thesechoices. Everyone should have access tohigh-quality, impartial information, adviceand guidance (IAG), to make the most

ENSURE PEOPLE MAKEINFORMED DECISIONS ONTHEIR FUTURE CAREERSA

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of our dynamic and evolving economythroughout their working life. The currentfragmented approach to IAG does notsupport this.To ensure this happens, the district willseek to develop a single, coherent all-agecareers offer, bringing together existingprovision and resources under a unifyingbrand accessible to all our residents.The first step will be to establish an IAGpartnership of all interested parties.Research has demonstrated that onlyone in four people in low pay nationallywill have moved out of low pay in tenyears time. There is a lack of progressionopportunities, and for the opportunitiesthat do exist, these are not accessedequally.Supporting our residents who arealready in work to understand where theopportunities are in the economy andhow to navigate the skills offer to accessappropriate training, ultimately through tohigher level skills, will be key functions ofthe all-age careers service.


Career and Technical Education Continuum

CAREERTRAINING &PROGRESSION

SECONDARYSCHOOL(KS4+)CareerPreparation

SECONDARYSCHOOL(KS3)CareerExploration

PRIMARYSCHOOLCareerAwareness

1

2 4 6

5Active industryengagement instudent learning

Strongintegrationstudent support

Seamlesstransition fromsecondary topost-secondary

Qualifiedworkforce hasdistrict/regionalrelevance

3 Able to follow careerand technicalpathways

Multiple entryand exit pointsfor 16+ learningpathways

16 14 16

6th FORM

APPRENTICESHIPS

COLLEGE

UNIVERSITY



THEME TWO:IMPROVING JOB QUALITY

anchor institutions, who will drive thisapproach. Using the power of theircollective spend and resources willsupport the local economy and promotethe benefits of inclusive employmentpractices, increase the diversity ofbackgrounds represented in leadershiproles and develop a culture of learning andskills development.We also want to explore how theflexibilities around the ApprenticeshipLevy can be pooled and utilised todevelop routes into apprenticeships forour residents, and to support SMEs whowork with anchor institutions to offer moreapprenticeships.

Bradford is home to a large number ofbusinesses of all sizes including nationalbusinesses with their headquarters thatdrive the economic prosperity of thedistrict. The key to improving job qualityand social mobility is to support, promoteand encourage good business practiceand in-work progression for all staff toimprove business performance.The strategy will identify lead businessesand institutions, which we refer to as

MAXIMISE ANCHORINSTITUTIONS’ ECONOMICPOWERA

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The District will work to developSkillsHouse as the single gateway thatconnects individuals and businesseshelping students, graduates, job seekers,workers, and employers create their ownunique paths to career and businesssuccess.SkillsHouse has the potential to help localbusinesses grow through providing full-

service staffing solutions for businesseswith immediate and long-term recruitmentneeds. This work will also boost workforceskills and productivity, directly respondingto the workforce and recruitment needsof employers. Connecting businesseswith a new pool of immediately available,diverse candidates enables employersto fill vacant positions at all levels quicklyand cost-effectively. Access to greaterdiversity of perspective through recruitingin this way will also be a significant driverof innovation in the workplace.

DEVELOP A ONE-STOPSHOP TO SUPPORTBUSINESS TALENT NEEDSA

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THEME THREE:CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITIES TO GOOD JOBS ANDCAREERS

3

p Connect vulnerable residents to caringand supportive adults.

p Ensure people have the fundamentallanguage skills required for theworkplace through ESOL provision

To improve this situation, we will workacross all organisations to align bridgingand pre-employment services under aunified brand that will ‘hide the wiring’resulting in a more user-friendly servicefor employers, vulnerable young peopleand jobseekers alike. This approachrecognises the importance of enablingskills such as literacy and numeracyand work related learning to provider thebreadth of skills employers are seeking.

All our residents and communities need to be able to access the opportunities in the localeconomy. It is important to develop the connections between our residents, new jobs thatare being created, and in-work career progression. In particular this means engagingresidents who are economically inactive and supporting them onto the journey to work.This will be built upon a partnership and on-going dialogue between communities,providers and employers.

To increase access to entry-level jobsand career progression for residents withlow level or no qualifications, partnerswill develop a common approach toemployment bridging programmes. Thiswill deliver the experiences and technicalskills to secure entry to work and advancethrough in-work training.These programmes will be specificallydesigned to:p Provide intensive support services to

individualsp Use experiences of work to help young

people develop their literacy andnumeracy alongside careers education.

p Provide financial support to meetimmediate needs of individualsparticipating in learning.

SUPPORT LOW SKILLEDJOBSEEKERS INTO WORKAND TO PROGRESS INWORKA

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The Bradford Journey to WorkThe Bradford Journey to Work is designedto be the framework to coordinateemployment bridging programmes.

The district will develop an ‘InclusiveCommunity Learning Plan’ that willclearly establish how community learningand development will be taken forwardby partners across Bradford. Existingcommunity forums and networks arecritical to inform the planning anddevelopment of the plan and the design ofthe next steps.The intention will be that communitylearning and development (CLD) supportsthe wider career pathways system andlead to outcomes such as:p Enabling the development of skills

(in particular literacy, numeracyand English for speakers of other

DEVELOP ANINCLUSIVE COMMUNITYLEARNING PLANA

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Facilitated referrals topartners:●●AEB●●Family Learning●●Offender Learning

●●Mental Health●●Drug and Alcohol, etc Sector Based Work

Academies:HSC (OneWorkforce)

CommunityBased

Outreach &Participant

Recruitment

WorkReadiness

Assessment &individual PlanDevelopment

Barrierremoval

WorkReadiness

Training

SectorSkills

Training

EmploymentPlacement

Post-placementFollow-up

& RetentionSupport

Ongoing Mentorship/Coaching, Support Case Management



languages) that people can use inemployment, their community, furtherlearning or as parents and familymembers to support their children intheir important early years.

p Supporting all our young people(in particular those who need morechoices and chances to achieve theirfull potential) to become confidentindividuals, successful learners,and good citizens, empoweringcommunities to work together.

CLD is delivered by many communitypartners across the District. All partnersinvolved in the delivery of CLD should aimto deliver these objectives through:p community developmentp youth workp family learning and early intervention

work with children, young people andfamilies

p community-based adult learning,including adult literacies and English forspeakers of other languages (ESOL)

p volunteer developmentp learning support and guidance in the

communityThe Community Learning Plan willalso explore the guidance and supportmechanisms for learners who haveachieved their broader education goals totransition to join the Bradford Journey toWork.



BRADFORD WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Council, the University of Bradford,schools, skills providers, DWP, theChamber of commerce and the LEP tooversee and drive the delivery of theWorkforce Plan.The Skills Partnership will be the first stepin achieving the coherent system approachthat is needed, working closely with theEconomic Partnership.Contact:Matt FindullLead Officer Education and [email protected]

In developing the plan (which sitsalongside the Economic Strategy) ithas been clear how much good work isalready happening in the district in relationto skills. There has been a consistentmessage during the consultation that thesystem could work better to bring a sharedapproach to the development of skills andaccelerate the improvements needed.The first action of the Workforce Planwill be to bring together a new SkillsPartnership to drive the delivery of the planacross the District. The Skills Partnershipwill bring together senior leaders fromkey organisations – businesses, Bradford

The wording in this publication can be made availablein other formats such as large print or Braille. Pleasetelephone 01274 436082.

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PEOPLE, SKILLS, PROSPERITY · our prosperity and the payoff will be enormous: a much more competitive position for our local businesses and a better quality of life for our local