Outcomes for Economic Recovery and Social Renewal. 3.1 Responsive institutions - meeting future skills needs, including upskilling and reskilling. The College is focused on responding to employer needs and to prioritising the current and future skills requirements of our Region. Senior staff have been participating in Local Authority economic development forums and economic recovery planning. Prior to the College Curriculum Planning and Review process in the autumn, a session was held with Curriculum Heads and SDS to consider priorities for our Region and implications of City Deal. The College is utilising the regularly updated SDS Regional Skills Assessment and Labour market data during this period and is using the information to address curriculum changes and plans. In response to labour information, we have increased our offer of Winter start courses, including new provision in FinTech, Coding and Cyber in response to the fast-moving external market needs. The focus very much on skills development and bite-size learning. The College continues to engage with local Community Planning partners and regional stakeholders. We are an active and key contributor to economic recovery discussions with West Dunbartonshire Delivery and Improvement Group, Inverclyde Alliance Board, East Renfrewshire Local Employability Group and Renfrewshire Economic Leadership Panel as well as the Glasgow City Deal Skills group; supporting integrated economic recovery planning and ensuring skills alignment with a Covid-19 focus and economic recovery response. From this, a range of interventions and partnerships have been developed, including measures to address digital equity, tackle poverty and respond to the needs of our local and regional economy In the short term, we have been liaising with over 200 local employer partners, to ensure that our Modern Apprentices, Foundation Apprentices and employed learners continue to have access to support, learning and assessment services. The College has retained work-based learning teams to pre-lockdown levels and continues, where available, to support apprentices and learners who have been furloughed during lockdown. With on campus provision restricted, our focus on supporting those individuals looking for upskilling and reskilling opportunities has been through our Distance Learning provision which has been well marketed across social media and continues to receive a healthy response. As a College, we have the advantage of a well-established Distance Learning Team who are experienced in su...
Outcomes for Economic Recovery and Social Renewal. 3.1 Responsive institutions / Confident and highly capable – work-ready - graduates Please see sections above on learning with impact and work ready graduates. In addition we note: The University plays a significant role in the development of the health sector workforce across all strands of nursing and a wide range of AHPs, at undergraduate and postgraduate level and through CPD, supporting the training and skills needs in the recovery from the pandemic. The University undertakes critical collaborative work with universities across Scotland offering nursing and AHP programmes, placement providers, service colleagues, Council of Deans, NES, professional bodies, to address challenges in delivery of health workforce education. For example, in 2022-23 a new training collaboration between NHS Scotland Academy, the Scottish Radiology Transformation Programme, the Scottish Government and GCU will support NHS Scotland's Radiography Recovery Plan to train sonographers to carry out medical ultrasound examinations. In line with Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation, we will utilise the SFC 2022-23 Upskilling fund to directly support the future skills transition to Net Zero by providing opportunities for the development of green skills in support of the ambitions in the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan Just Transition Digital Strategy (including Digital Health and Care Strategy). We have identified sectors with identified skills shortages and will work with industry partners to reach individuals and communities to provide opportunities to upskill/reskill in areas that provide contributions to regional communities and wider economic growth. A large component of the skills gap in digital is the missing contribution of woman to software engineering and cyber security jobs that Scottish and UK companies need. We will continue to develop partnerships and initiatives that encourage women into technology jobs, demonstrated by our 'Women into Cyber' Upskilling programme. The University works with over 300 employers across Scotland and continues to consult and support sectors and regions to make best use of the people, skills and resources available. We are working collaboratively to deliver a Foundation Apprenticeship pilot in 2022-23, FA: Discover Meta- skills, an opportunity for S4 –S6 pupils across Scotland to develop the skills employers value the most whilst working directly with an employer to do so. This initiative that is being delivered b...
Outcomes for Economic Recovery and Social Renewal. Responsive Institutions The college is working with local employers to aid economic and social recovery. We have partnered with Gretna Green to give students a world class hospitality work experience through placement partnerships. This is important as Hospitality is an important part of the tourism industry for the region. Students from Creative Industries are involved in the live briefs for branding, promotionpromotion, and videos of these events to support the local economy and promote growth in the region. The college continues to work with Borders College and other stakeholders to expand the region’s competitiveness by developing digital skills through the Digital Pathfinder Programme. The Digital Pathfinder will build upon the work of the South of Scotland Digital Skills Hub and help align provision, programmes, and curriculum offerings to the current and emerging needs of students and employers across the region. Confident and Highly Capable Work Ready Graduates – The college continues to work closely with local partners to ensure students are ready for work and are confident in their skillsets. The college is working with schools to offer ESOL classes to those who need it. There is an increase in this area, and this is being monitored for new learning trends. Bespoke courses are currently being offered for these groups of learners. Work with SDS and Dumfries and Xxxxxxxx Council continues to look strategically at skills for mid- and long-term needs. The college is working in partnership with these and other organisations to identify and plan for future needs. We continue to work with Young Enterprise Scotland however we are currently supporting the recruitment of a new staff member to continue leading on the work started in this area.
Outcomes for Economic Recovery and Social Renewal. Responsive institutions
Outcomes for Economic Recovery and Social Renewal. Responsive institutions Strategy 2025 outlines the University’s ambition provide students with a transformational experience resulting in highly sought-after graduates in world- leading sectors, industries, and businesses. UWS works in partnership with its students to deliver world-ready graduates who will design, shape, and build a new future. In 2021, the University launched the Shaping Communities and Society (SCS) thematic plan in line with Strategy 2025. A steering group was established and continues to meet monthly to monitor the implementation of Strategy 2025 and the SCS thematic plan. At UWS transforming communities through research and education continues to be at the heart of all work done at the University. The thematic plan and steering group bring greater awareness and institutional focus to the University’s goal to continue to develop effective and innovative routes into university education; expanding effective articulation, developing deeply embedded associate student schemes, and reshaping the concept of tertiary education partnerships. A survey based on 2018-19 study by Xxxxxx Economics showed that UWS generated at least £816 million GVA and 5800 jobs in Scotland. Through the use of upskilling funding and knowledge exchange partnerships, UWS is supporting partner business in the community and across Scotland to develop and invest in their staff, and to benefit from UWS research. Going forward UWS will continue to develop opportunities through approaches such as a joint regional portfolio planning to address regional skills. In line with the National Strategy for Economic Transformation, UWS aims to have a positive impact on the economy creating helping to create secure and well-paid jobs and growing businesses while reducing poverty. UWS, North Lanarkshire Council and New College Lanarkshire have joined forces to deliver more opportunities for young people across the local authority. A new report, ‘Developing Pathways, Packages and Partnerships from School to Employment in North Lanarkshire’ sets out plans to ensure young people leave school and further/higher education equipped with the skills they need to access sustainable employment opportunities across key sectors. The joint approach has been agreed by the three organisations to create a pathway from senior school through to college- based learning and on to university, finally resulting in permanent employment in a business environment in North Lanarkshire. Skills and training gaps...
