CIMSPA, Active Together (formerly known as Leicester-Shire and Rutland Sport) and Leicestershire Colleges, including Loughborough College, along with East Midlands Chamber, will be working with local employers to understand their future skills development requirements, through a ‘Training Needs Analysis’.
This employer-led insight will underpin the next phases of the project, which aims to prepare the workforce of the future to better meet the needs of the physical activity and sport sector locally, and to have maximum positive impact on communities and the local economy.
The recent LLEP Sport and Physical Activity Sector profile recognised that the local sector underpins 1,245 businesses and accounts for 16,900 jobs within a growing network of businesses and organisations. Through the Local Skills Improvement Trailblazer project, the partnership will be engaging with a wide range of organisations that provide leisure or fitness opportunities, personal training or lifestyle advice, adventure sport, or physical activity opportunities in a non-sport setting.
James Naylor, Everyone Active - Area Contract Manager said:
"For a long time, leisure operators have been working with GP’s and health services to support pathways for the customer. It is a testament to the whole sector to be part of a national trailblazer programme, focusing on physical activity and its role in human health. Our sector professionals are already well placed to support people with their physical activity needs and this investment will increase capacity, improve skills and accelerate the roll out of much needed expertise. I’m confident it will particularly help with supporting people with long Covid, maintaining mobility whilst on longer waiting lists for surgery, and preventing further conditions or symptoms through movement. The wider social and community value which the sector provides cannot be underestimated and I look forward to being a part of this project over the coming months and years.”
Spencer Moore, Director of Strategy for CIMSPA, said:
“Organisations across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland already strive to improve the health and wellbeing of residents and visitors to the area. In the years to come, many will be keen to grow and develop their products and services, as well as their capacity to meet consumer needs. To support this, businesses need skills and training tailored to meet their needs and that is exactly what this Skills Improvement Trailblazer Programme will deliver. We see this as a blueprint for the future and, if successful, we will aim to roll it out nationally.”
Andy Reed, Vice Chair of the LLEP, Special Adviser to Active Together, formerly Leicester-Shire and Rutland Sport said:
”Having championed the health and economic contribution of the physical activity and sport sector for a number of years locally and nationally, I am pleased to see this investment into our local system. Investing in developing the skills our employers need to for the 2020’s will improve their local recruitment and sustain businesses and organisations. What’s more, our graduates will be better equipped to meet their career aspirations and develop our sector over the coming decades as our leaders of the future. The growing network of sports organisations here in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland are well placed to lead this work supporting potential long term national and local enhancements across the system.”
Jo Maher, Principal & CEO at Loughborough College, said:
"Collaboration is the key to supporting the skills-led recovery from Covid. The impact on human health has never been more important to understand and to improve. We’re so delighted to work with all the Leicestershire general further education colleges, CIMSPA, Active Together and the Chamber because, through our shared value set and excellent employer network, we can support our fantastic region, and beyond, to thrive.”
Further information
The following partners are working to deliver the Skills Accelerator Programme.
Further Education Colleges:
- Lead partner: Loughborough College, working with
- Leicester College
- North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire
- SMB Group (Stephenson College and Brooksby Melton College).
Local and National Sector Partners:
- CIMSPA the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity
- Active Together, formerly Leicester-Shire and Rutland Sport
Sector Profile: Sport and Physical Activity in Leicester and Leicestershire