Local Skills Improvement Plan Employment & Skills Board

To support the delivery and long-term success of the Greater Essex Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) 2026–2029, a strategic Employment and Skills Board remains vital to provide leadership, oversight and accountability for the implementation of the plan.

Bringing together senior representatives from business, education, local government and key stakeholder organisations, the Board provides a collaborative governance framework to ensure that employer needs remain at the heart of skills planning and decision-making across Greater Essex. It plays a critical role in setting strategic direction, monitoring progress against agreed priorities, championing partnership working and driving collective action to address the region’s skills and workforce challenges.

The Board serves as a key mechanism for aligning local skills provision with economic priorities, ensuring that investment, policy and delivery are informed by robust labour market intelligence and the evolving needs of employers. Through strong stakeholder engagement and shared ownership, it supports a coordinated approach to developing the talent pipeline required to drive productivity, innovation and inclusive growth across Essex, Southend and Thurrock.

By providing strategic leadership and ensuring employer voices are embedded within governance structures, the Employment and Skills Board is helping to create a responsive, future-focused skills system that supports both business success and individual opportunity across Greater Essex.