Hospitality & Visitor Economy Workforce Development Partnership

A well-attended fourth meeting of the Hospitality and Visitor Economy Workforce Development Partnership kicked off 2025 at the Village Hotel Bracknell on January 14th.

The event featured insightful presentations on the Local Skills Improvement Plan developments, the impact of the latest Government white papers on skills and training with overviews of the Visitor Economy plans in Oxfordshire and Berkshire.

UK Hospitality provided an update on the national skills agenda followed by an insightful presentation from the HM Prison and Probation Service to re-think the workforce talent pipeline.

Jane Saggers, Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce, shared updates on Labour’s priorities, focusing on economic growth, empowering local authorities, and tackling skills shortages. The Devolution White Paper was discussed, promising more local control over jobs, housing, and planning, along with a shift in skills funding. Skills England’s role in aligning education with industry needs was discussed, with Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) remaining central to national plans for economic growth and skills development and aligning with regional and national priorities.

The Industrial Strategy was also discussed, highlighting green energy, technology, and regional development as key drivers of economic resilience.

Berkshire’s focus on creating a Framework for Future Development, builds on existing visitor economy strategies while identifying common goals for even greater success. A decision on the Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) application is on track for late January 2025.

OxLEP’s presentation on the Visitor Economy Renaissance Programme showcased amazing progress in the post-COVID recovery of Oxfordshire’s tourism sector, while the current 5-Year Destination Management Plan (2023-2028) aims to drive sustainable growth and attract high-value visitors to the region.

Sandra Kelly, UKHospitality, discussed the national skills agenda, the sector’s ongoing challenges and exciting programs including Hospitality Connect and the DWP SWAP’s initiative, both designed to bridge the talent gap and create new opportunities for career progression. This was followed by a great presentation from Sarah Barrett, HM Prison Service, highlighting how employing prison leavers can offer businesses a skilled, motivated workforce while having a positive societal impact.

The event wrapped up with clear next steps: sharing more information on the DWP and Hospitality Connect programs, scheduling meetings to explore extending these in the region, as well as further discussions on sustainability and other skills requirements.

It was an inspiring start to 2025, with plenty of collaboration and exciting activity ahead!