Business-Led ‘Road Map’ Launched To Boost Hampshire’s Workplace

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A three-year, business-led ‘road map’ has been launched to narrow skills gaps in the workplace, spotlight training opportunities including for NEETs and boost Hampshire’s regional economy.

Commissioned by Hampshire Chamber of Commerce in partnership with firms, education providers, policymakers, charities and the public sector, the Hampshire and The Solent Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) 2026-29 builds on detailed research to identify four top priorities for action.

These are summarised as: a more responsive and inclusive ‘skills ecosystem’; more support for workforce ‘progression and transitions’; stronger awareness and access for employers and residents alike; and deeper employer participation.

Ross McNally, Hampshire Chamber Chief Executive, said:

“The LSIP is deliberately employer-focused to ensure that skills training works better for businesses of all sizes and sectors. In the research stage, employers - especially SMEs - consistently told us they want a skills system that is easy to access, flexible and has the capacity to enable genuine employer participation opportunities rather than simple engagement.”

NEETs, the widely recognised acronym for young people typically aged 16 to 24 who are not in education, employment or training, face particular barriers to acquiring skills and participating in work, the LSIP research report found.

Issues cited include youth disengagement driven by lower confidence, higher anxiety, limited networks and reduced access to early work experience.

In Hampshire, 35.2% of young people are at risk of becoming NEET, well above the national average of 28.2%, highlighting the scale of vulnerability across the region.

Under the government’s rollout of LSIPs nationally, Hampshire Chamber is the official ‘employer representative body’ (ERB) for Hampshire and The Solent.

The new plan strengthens the delivery of priorities and foundations set out in two previous LSIPs, one covering the Solent, the other focused on the ‘Enterprise M3’ area across north Hampshire and Surrey.

Following publication of a white paper on post-16 education and with guidance from government agency Skills England, all 39 ERBs were required to develop a second round of three-year LSIPs this summer.

Based on the research report produced for Hampshire Chamber by consultants and analysts Lichfields, the new LSIP for Hampshire and The Solent is designed to be a unifying strategy in response to changing economic conditions and labour market pressures.

Lichfields found that the region now supports almost one million jobs, having added 31,300 jobs since 2023, with strongest growth in Portsmouth and Southampton. At the same time however, labour market participation has actually weakened over the past three years relative to the whole population.

Employment has fallen by 8,100 people, unemployment has risen to 3.2% and economic inactivity has increased significantly. Barriers include caring responsibilities, youth disengagement, early retirement among skilled workers, a weaker jobs market and greater exposure to external economic shocks.

Factors directly influencing skills gaps in all sectors include shortages of digital capability, leadership, essential employability skills and green skills.

“The new three-year plan is a road map for the next phase of LSIP delivery,” Ross McNally explained.

“The strategy highlights the major sector opportunities and challenges we face including in our core clusters of maritime, defence, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, creative industries and health and social care."

“The creative industries, for example, contribute over £900 million in GVA, while marine and maritime support 20,000 jobs and £1.7 billion in economic output. Logistics employs 27,000 people, with the Solent Freeport expected to create 15,000 additional jobs."

“Across all sectors, improving workforce participation, business capability and access to flexible skills provision will be critical to achieving and sustaining regional growth."

“Trends analysed in the report underline the need for a skills ecosystem that drives productivity while also widening participation. An expansion of the employment base must be matched by efforts to unlock local talent, reduce barriers to work and support employers to recruit, retain and grow their workforces."

"That means building and maintaining strong skills development pathways between education providers and employers. We must also recognise and address demand-side barriers which influence businesses confidence, capability and flexibility to recruit."

“Our LSIP report makes clear that we need to strengthen capability across the workforce. Financial literacy, leadership and entrepreneurial confidence are among the essential foundations for improving resilience and productivity especially among our SMEs and micro-businesses. This is particularly important in a region such as ours where 88% of businesses employ fewer than ten people."

To read and download the Hampshire and The Solent LSIP report, visit Hampshire LSIP Skills Channel | HCOC LSIP

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Sep 28, 2023
3 min read

England women’s record point-scorer Emily Scarratt has signed a new contract with Loughborough Lightning ahead of the 2023/24 Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby season.

The 2014 Rugby World Cup winner joined Lightning in 2018 following a successful period in the England Women’s Sevens programme, having previously played for Lichfield Ladies. Scarratt made her Red Roses debut as an 18-year-old back in 2008, and became only the fifth English woman to reach 100 Test caps in the 2022 Women’s Six Nations victory over Scotland.

The 33-year-old has amassed 108 Test caps, appearing in three World Cup finals and has nine Women’s Six Nations titles to her name, including eight Grand Slams. Her haul of points for England is more than 200 ahead of her nearest rival, the retired Katy Daley-Mclean, and no English woman has scored more than her 131 Rugby World Cup points from 14 appearances.

The centre/full-back has been a totemic figure for Loughborough Lightning – scoring 228 points in 33 appearances so far in African Violet and has been on board throughout the partnership with Northampton Saints, which began in 2021, acting as one of Saints’ Women’s Rugby Ambassadors.

Ahead of the 2023/24 Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby season, which will see Lightning play all their home league games at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens for the first time Scarratt has put pen to paper on a new deal that will see her move into a sixth season in an African Violet shirt.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time at Loughborough and the partnership with Northampton Saints is an exciting one,” she said.

“We’ve got a serious amount of potential at Loughborough Lightning that perhaps we didn’t show last season. But I really think we can develop this season and I wanted to be a part of that."

“It’s amazing to play at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens and we’re looking forward to playing on that incredible pitch on a regular basis. Just being in a stadium like that and the support we get is quite different to when we play at Loughborough which we love.

“The Saints supporters are really looking to adopt us now as their own. Quite a few Saints fans I’ve seen around have come up to me and said they’re looking forward to coming to watch us, so that’s really exciting.”

Scarratt’s extended deal follows a flurry of announcements from the Loughborough camp – with an incredible 14 players already committing to Lightning ahead of the upcoming Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby season, including Scarratt’s England teammates Sadia Kabeya, Helena Rowland, and Cath O’Donnell.

Lightning head coach Nathan Smith said: “Scaz is an exceptional human being who we are really lucky to have in our environment which grows by her being there."

“Luckily enough, she's also one of the best players in the world that we're confident we can still develop as a player. She is a brilliant influence on the younger generation coming through. Technically and tactically, but also she models the professional behaviours expected of a world-class player.”

For the first time this season, all of Lightning’s home Premiership Women’s Rugby league matches will be played at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.

Season tickets start from just £60 adult / £45 adult terrace / £25 junior (under-18s), with a special discounted rate available for Saints Season Ticket Holders, Saints Members, and those who purchased a Lightning ticket bundle during the 2022/23 campaign.

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