Thousands of Sunderland residents could be helped into better-paid jobs after councillors approved a new four-year strategy designed to tackle unemployment, skills shortages and in-work poverty across the city.
Sunderland City Council has signed off an Adult Skills and Employment Strategy aimed at improving training opportunities, supporting residents into work and helping employers recruit people with the skills they need.
The strategy, approved by the council’s cabinet, sets out a long-term framework to better align adult education with labour market demand while strengthening collaboration between education providers, employers and public services.
It has been developed with partners from across the education, employment and business sectors and aims to improve outcomes for residents, businesses and communities by addressing long-standing issues including economic inactivity, skills shortages and inequality.
A council report said Sunderland’s learning, skills and employability service would act as the main coordinating body for adult skills provision across the city. The report added that an independent review had identified the need for a more strategic, evidence-based and partnership-led approach to skills delivery.
Under the strategy, a new citywide approach will be introduced alongside annual delivery plans and the creation of a Skills, Progression and Employment Board, bringing together representatives from education, business, employment and public services to oversee progress.
The council said the strategy responds to significant challenges facing Sunderland, including low skills attainment, high levels of economic inactivity and in-work poverty. At the same time, employers are increasingly seeking job-ready candidates and higher-level skills, particularly in sectors such as health and social care, construction and logistics.
The report said the new approach would help address the current fragmentation of services while making better use of available resources.
Cllr Carol Giles, Sunderland City Council’s cabinet member for children’s services, education and social mobility, said the strategy would help residents improve their prospects while supporting local businesses. She said: “We want Sunderland residents to have opportunities to improve their skills and get into good, well-paid jobs, and help businesses to thrive by upskilling their workforces. By bringing together providers, employers and public services, we can create a more joined-up system that helps people develop skills, overcome barriers and progress into good-quality employment.
“This includes aligning our training opportunities with job opportunities, health support and wider services to tackle the barriers that often prevent our residents from getting into and staying in work.
“Through connecting people to opportunities, we can help strengthen communities, support businesses and ensure the benefits of economic growth are felt across the city.”
