Purpose

To agree schemes for the Investment Zone Skills Programme
funding

Content

 The Cabinet considered a report of the
Director of Economy and Place, which sought approval to accept the
grant funding for Rochdale from the Greater Manchester (GM)
Investment Skills Programme and the activities proposed linked to
key interventions the grant could support.
 
The Cabinet Member
Regeneration and Housing delivered a brief summary of the
report’s key points.
 
The Head of Work
and Skills was in attendance to present the report and to address
the questions and the comments of the Cabinet Members.
 
The Officer
informed that the Supporting Skills Programme was part of the
overall Investment Zone programme that provided Greater Manchester
with funding over five years for interventions that supported
growth and innovation in Advanced Materials and Manufacturing in
the city region.
 
Greater
Manchester’s Leaders had agreed that part of this funding
would be allocated to further develop a targeted skills offer for
the sector aimed at intensifying the existing skills provision in
the city region.
 
Rochdale was one
of the four Local Authorities to be allocated this funding over a
four-year period to develop a programme of activities to help
connect local people to Advanced Materials and Manufacturing jobs
on investment sites such as Atom Valley.
 
Resolved that the recommendations
set out in section two of the report be agreed.
 
Reason for
decision:
The GM Investment
Zone - Supporting Skills Programme Grant 2025/2029 would provide an
enhanced programme of talent and support career development into
Advanced Manufacturing and Materials and would help local people
connect to jobs in this sector.
 
Activities
proposed would help raise the profile of the sector and provide
specialist careers advice attracting more people into the
industry.
 
It would support
young people to benefit from the growth opportunities in Atom
Valley and access the good quality jobs that would be available in
the future.
 
Delivery of
provision would make sure employers were involved with the
curriculum development so people were equipped with the skills
local businesses would need.
 
Young people and
adults that are not in employment, education or training (NEET) and
unemployed would be encouraged and supported to access appropriate
provision and improve their skills levels so they can access job
opportunities.
 
Children in
primary education would have access to programmes involving fun
activities that will help create more interest in taking up STEM
subjects and would see engineering as a future career
option.
 
Activities had
been developed in collaboration with key partners to make sure the
Council was supporting its strategic priorities and activities
would complement and align with existing skills
provision.
 
Alternatives
considered and rejected:
Members could ask
for alternative activities to be proposed under the programme or
not accept the grant funding.