Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce
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Haulage & Logistics Workforce Development Partnership

The 2nd meeting of the Haulage and Logistics Workforce Development Partnership saw a strong presence from the training providers and other stakeholders within the region. The focus of the meeting was on identifying employer skills needs in more detail and matching those to programmes being run by the training providers to identify gaps in the provision. Our Employer Champion, Richard Perriman from Scan Global Logistics spoke about the industry landscape and the value employers placed on practical skills and abilities, work ethic and potential for growth within the recruitment process.

The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport’s, Chris Markey discussed the importance of logistics to the economy, how this intersects with all industry sectors and the strong emphasis the industry places on professional development, particularly in compliance and the science of logistics with AI and machine learning (increasingly being used to predict product demand and streamline distribution). Activate Learning and Windsor Forest College Groups shared details of their current curriculums with input from OxLEP on their Skills Bootcamps provision.

A group discussion with employers was led by Cat Marin and Ben Jokiel from Activate Learning to understand the specific skills needs and recruitment challenges in the sector, and what this Partnership can do to help meet these.  This included, informing and inspiring people to work in the sector, the mapping of industry competencies with new and existing skills provisions, the integration of logistics-specific knowledge into regular courses and development of multi-trade programmes to meet industry needs.  The Partnership will continue working with the Chartered Institute and Generation Logistics on promotional activity in local schools and colleges. A New Year event to be held at Reading college will bring teachers, student, and employer voices together to share the skills and recruitment needs of the sector, the training provision, breadth of opportunities and progression pathways in the industry.  The date of our next meeting will be scheduled for the Autumn and will be finalised shortly.

Care Workforce Development Partnership

The Care Workforce Development Partnership had its second meeting on July 10th at Henley College. It saw employers, training providers, and wider partners come together to look at the national challenges facing the sector and focus in on local skills needs and solutions. We were fortunate to hear from experts in both the national and local sector needs. Sanjay Dhrona, our Employer Champion and Managing Director of The Close Care Home in Oxfordshire started the meeting with a video message on the importance of the work we are doing within the Local Skills Improvement Plan. Rachel Reid from the sector body Skills for Care joined us to take us through the national picture, the sector reforms being worked on by the government, and the workforce picture locally.

Discussions took place on building further links between colleges and care settings. Several students visited care homes during ‘Care Home Week’, with help from the partnership to coordinate this. There was real enthusiasm for building on this and getting more students into settings more often. Eamonn Egan, Deputy Principal at Henley College took us through an overview of the data on student entrants to the care profession. This revealed a growing number of students studying care-related courses, but also a preponderance of adult learners entering the sector. There is more work to be done to encourage 16 – 18-year-olds to go into care careers, rather than jobs in other health care settings.

With this in mind, there was a chance to promote the Hallmark Foundations National Care Careers conference taking place this Autumn. Several Thames Valley colleges have now signed students up for this and details have been sent to the Careers Hubs for promotion in schools. We finished with a brief discussion on other skills needs the sector has and what kinds of qualifications and experiences would help students gain these skills. Mental Health First Aid was one example given and the group committed to sharing more of these needs and how they might be met going forward, a key aim of the local skills improvement plan. The next meeting will take place in the Autumn and will hopefully be held at The Dormy Care Home in Sunningdale, with student ambassadors present.

Health & Life Sciences Workforce Development Partnership

The 2nd meeting of the Health and Life Sciences WDP commenced on July 3rd and opened with a warm welcome and gratitude to RSSL for hosting, followed by a review of the agenda and actions from the previous meeting. An update on the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) outlined efforts to develop employer-led solutions for skills and recruitment through Workforce Development Partnerships, fostering collaboration between businesses and education providers. Employers were encouraged to complete the newly launched Employer Survey to assess long-term skills needs in the Thames Valley Life Sciences sector.

Discussions included the STEM Returners Programme, which offers a 12-week paid placement to support professionals returning to work, with 96% securing long-term employment. Concerns were raised regarding employer commitments in the Berkshire Life Science Skills Bootcamps. The flexibility of the Oxfordshire Bootcamps was highlighted, alongside growing interest in data analytics and green skills training. Employers emphasised the need for training at Level 4 and above, while apprenticeships were recognised as a viable option for all age groups.

New education and training developments included the refurbishment of laboratories at Guildford and Oxford campuses, T-level placement requirements, and upskilling opportunities for teaching staff through business-led training sessions. Employers were invited to collaborate on placement models and engage with Business Engagement Specialists.

Key skills gaps and training needs were identified, including sustainability in construction, data analytics, AI workshops, and embedding green skills into further education. Lonza, Mastek, RSSL, and Activate Learning provided insights on industry challenges and opportunities, with a focus on practical solutions.

The meeting concluded with a set of agreed actions, including the appointment of additional Employer Champions, completion and promotion of the Employer Survey, development of upskilling opportunities for educators, expansion of STEM returner programmes, increased workforce training through bootcamps, and a greater focus on sustainability within education and business.

Hospitality & Visitor Economy Workforce Development Partnership

The meeting opened with a warm welcome and introductions, followed by a recap of the purpose of the Workforce Development Partnership (WDP), which continues to gain momentum across Berkshire and Oxfordshire. Attendees were encouraged to invite more employers to join the group to strengthen collaboration. Discussions revisited key skills needs, including technical and vocational skills, employability skills, and broader areas such as finance and leadership. While larger organisations have become more effective at managing skills and recruitment internally, smaller businesses require further support, particularly for entry-level roles, which remain the hardest to fill. Engaging SMEs through trade bodies and promoting the benefits of college partnerships were identified as key priorities.

An update on the hospitality sector included the launch of Missenden Abbey International Hotel and Hospitality School by Buckinghamshire New University, offering students a combination of practical and classroom-based training with paid placements. The University is working closely with UK Hospitality and exploring progression routes beyond Level 4. However, the introduction of the T-level in catering has been postponed beyond 2024, with no confirmed timeline for its rollout.

Work experience programmes were discussed, with an emphasis on developing soft skills through hands-on experience. Employers visiting schools and colleges to reinforce the importance of these skills was seen as particularly impactful. It was suggested that provider staff should spend time in hospitality establishments to gain a better understanding of industry requirements. Structured frameworks for work placements, pre-placement engagement, and gathering feedback from both students and employers were highlighted as ways to improve the effectiveness of placements.

Recruitment challenges in grounds maintenance were raised, with a shift in the role towards a more creative skillset. A decline in interest was linked to changing leisure activities among young people, and training providers noted difficulties in delivering horticulture courses due to curriculum changes and a lack of student demand.

It was noted that skills bootcamps are often more suited to those already in the industry rather than new entrants. Small businesses, in particular, face barriers such as funding, time constraints, and awareness of training opportunities. Employers were encouraged to engage with Berkshire LEP to support the case for a hospitality bootcamp and to ensure sector needs are reflected in bootcamp curricula. The LSIP progress report may include a recommendation for hospitality bootcamps in Berkshire.

Mentoring initiatives were explored, with Adviza developing a programme to match young people with employer mentors. While OxLEP has an existing mentoring scheme, engagement remains low, and its structure may need review. Ensuring initial student interest before mentoring begins was seen as key to success.

The importance of promoting the sector and sharing its values, opportunities, and career pathways was highlighted. Experience Oxfordshire was suggested as a potential platform for outreach, alongside leveraging existing networks and social media to enhance visibility.

Engagement with hard-to-reach groups was discussed, with Adviza working on an employer-led programme to support talent pipelines, particularly for entry-level roles. Employers were encouraged to participate in this initiative.

Agreed actions included: expanding engagement in the WDP through wider networks, outreach to UK Hospitality and Experience Oxfordshire, a coordinated communication campaign on opportunities within the sector, employer involvement in shaping bootcamp curricula, and further development of work experience programmes to support Level 1 students.

Construction & Built Environment Workforce Development Partnership

A lively and well-attended second meeting of the Construction Workforce Development Partnership saw employers, training providers, sector bodies and wider partners come together to really start to move the skills agenda for the sector forward. Held on April 17th at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Newbury the membership had presentations from the Local Skills Improvement Plan team; Ascentis – an awarding body developing new qualifications for the sector; Adviza – a charitable organisation working on a talent pipeline programme from hard to reach groups; and our Employer Champion from Helix Construction covering how we can better promote the sector.

Simon Barrable (LSIP Team) gave an update on progress since the November meeting and covered the range of new training programmes and facilities being developed by local colleges using the new Local Skills Improvement Fund monies. Clarissa Wheeler (Ascentis) explained the qualification landscape and sought input from employers in the development of new qualifications to be made available soon.

Sarah Clegg (Adviza) outlined their plans for bringing more people from harder-to-reach groups into the sector, with the support of employers and with vocational training from local educators. Lawrence Wright (Helix) outlined a range of activities he’s involved with to promote opportunities in the sector to the next generation. He also discussed plans for a promotional ‘roundtable’ event for the Thames Valley. The group committed to a number of key actions for this quarter: The concise mapping of qualifications for employers to understand what is currently offered and how they relate to opportunities/responsibilities in the workplace; the promotional roundtable event for the region; support for getting hard to reach groups into the sector.

Haulage & Logistics Workforce Development Partnership

The first meeting of this Workforce Development Partnership took place on March 21st at DoubleTree by Hilton in Newbury. A range of employers and training providers met to find out more about the Local Skills Improvement Plans for Berkshire and Oxfordshire. We were lucky enough to have input from the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport’s Bethany Windsor who joined us remotely to update everyone on their work in promoting the breadth of careers in the sector. The Generation Logistics programme aims to bring employers and training providers together and to get young people thinking about careers in the sector. This is helped by an ambassador programme, which sees current and recently retired staff visit schools and colleges to promote the sector.

Local skills needs were presented by our Employer Champion for the sector, Richard Perriman, from Scan Global Logistics. He also emphasised the importance of positive ambassadors for the sector promoting career opportunities, as well as the need to make sure teachers were aware of the latest developments in the sector. He emphasised that good careers can be built in the sector and that there are great progression opportunities within it. People can rise high in the sector with the right work ethic and the determination and resilience to succeed. These kinds of ‘employability’ skills are vital, as are good basic IT skills. There were also wider discussions around attracting more level 1 learners into the sector and the opportunities they would then have to progress. As well as growing apprenticeship numbers and looking at a local promotional event, with employer, educator, and student presence, to better promote opportunities.

Key actions to take forward included: The sharing of resources from the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) with Careers Organisations for use with schools and colleges; working with Generation Logistics to get more sector ambassadors in front of students; working on a pilot programme of work placements with key employers and providers; a joint LSIP/CILT event to be run in the Autumn to bring employer, provider and learner voices together.

Care Workforce Development Partnership

Employers, training providers and wider partners met for the first Workforce Development Partnership of the Care sector across Berkshire and Oxfordshire. Held on March 20th at Abingdon and Witney College, discussions covered the aims of the Local Skills Improvement Plan for the sector, its skills needs and how these might be better met. We were fortunate to hear from experts in both the national and local skills needs of the sector. Rachel Reid from the sector body Skills for Care joined us by video to take us through the national picture and the qualification reforms being worked on by the government currently.

Sanjay Dhrona, Managing Director of The Close Care Home in Oxfordshire led a discussion on local skills needs. We also had input from senior managers at Abingdon and Witney on their current curriculum offer and the extensive changes to the national curriculum being brought through by current government reforms. Skills needs for the sector discussed included the wide range of ‘soft’ and ‘people’ skills required, including problem-solving, teamwork, time management and dealing with difficult situations. With higher numbers of foreign workers now forming part of the local workforce, there was also a need for training on the nuances of the English language, both written and spoken.

Care workers increasingly need higher level clinical skills than perhaps they once did, as people live longer and conditions they are living with become more complex. Actions decided upon by the group included: Promotion and focus on Care Home Week across local colleges; exploring the data – where have those in the sector come from and where do students go on to when they complete courses; collaboration between Providers/Care homes to host gatherings for those that are unable to physically attend the National Careers Care event (19th Nov 2024); the creation of a directory of roles/progression within the sector.

Apply for our Free* courses in Green Skills

Abingdon & Witney College has received significant funding from West Oxfordshire, South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse Districts Councils, with Cherwell District Council. This will support local skills development and green initiatives.

Based at our Net Zero Skills Hub training centre we can therefore offer the following FREE courses for those aged 19 and over

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