Combined Authority works with regional partners to boost digital skills to support economic recovery

7 December 2020

The newly formed West Yorkshire Local Digital Skills Partnership Board met for the first time to map out how to support digital skills development and how the need for digital skills will boost the region’s economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.   

The board will be co-chaired by Mandy Ridyard, Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (the LEP) board member and Financial Director at Produmax along with Bill Jones, Deputy CEO at Luminate Education Group.   

The new board brings together digital advocates and key leaders from across business, education, local communities and the third sector in collaborative partnership to support the region’s vision to transform lives through digital tech.    

This partnership provides a significant opportunity to influence the digital skills landscape across the region. It will inspire the growth of digital skills by reducing the digital divide; support SMEs to invest in skills to grow the local economy and boost productivity; and inspire the future workforce by collaborating with education providers and employers to meet the skills needs of the economy to be ready for the jobs of the future.  

Mandy Ridyard and Bill Jones, Co-Chairs of the West Yorkshire Local Digital Skills Partnership Board, said:    

 “We are delighted to be involved in such an important initiative like the West Yorkshire Local Digital Skills Partnership Board. It comes at a critical time as we look to recover from the impacts of the pandemic and through supporting digital skills development to contribute to that recovery. 

 We look forward to working with all our partners to inspire the growth of digital skills across our region, support digital inclusivity in SMEs and boost our local economy.” 

Currently 11.9 million adults across the UK don’t have basic digital skills and only 42% of adults in West Yorkshire have the essential digital skills needed for the workplace. The partnership will aim to improve digital capability and inclusivity to support skills development for jobs for the future.    

The West Yorkshire Local Digital Skills Partnership Board will meet again on 18 January 2021.  

If you are a training provider interested in becoming involved in the West Yorkshire Local Digital Skills Partnership, please contact Mark Temple mark.temple@westyorks-ca.gov.uk   

For more information on the West Yorkshire Local Digital Skills Partnership, please visit: www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/west-yorkshire-local-digital-skills-partnership/