Employment & skills
Despite its overall prosperity, London’s unemployment rate is one of the highest in the UK – and has been consistently so since the early 1990s. London First aims to
- ensure London’s workforce is appropriately skilled to compete for the jobs available - equip the capital with a high quality workforce that befits a world city
- use the 2012 Games as a major catalyst to get 75,000 more Londoners into work
- persuade policy-makers to refocus skills provision so that training is better matched to London employers’ needs 2006 saw the creation of a new London Skills and Employment Board with responsibility for adult skills strategy, following lobbying by London First. The Board is chaired by the Mayor, with former London First Chairman Harvey McGrath as its vice chair. To ensure it has a strong business focus, London First worked hard to secure majority business representation on the Board. We continue to call for the Mayor to be given greater powers and flexibility in the way policy is implemented, to meet the particular demands of the capital following recession.
We run a pan-London network of academic leaders (vice chancellors, college principals and head teachers) and business people with an interest in education initiatives. Meetings showcase joint initiatives and discuss opportunities for business and education to work together. For more information contact Mark Hilton
Skills London 2010 - our interactive three-day careers events at ExCeL in October provides young Londoners with have-a-go opportunities, information and advice on careers and training opportunities Voice of London Employers survey (2010) conducted by Experian and involved 2000 employers A re-vision of the employment and skills landscape - Employment and skills research paper commissioned by London First and conducted by Experian Recession busters - We are working with a number of our members on projects to tackle the affects of recession by providing free support and training opportunities for employers, and individuals who have been made redundant, are under threat of redundancy or are underemployed, plus graduates about to enter the job market. London Employer Accord – Olympics-related initiative Teach First – business-led initiative to raise secondary education standards Diversity Practice Project - London First, with the Westminster Business School, conducted a research project looking at the practical experiences of leading companies in implementing diversity strategies
Skills provision in London needs more direction from the Mayor, stronger business leadership and accountability if arrangements are to serve the needs of the capital in an environment of increasing global competitiveness.
London Skills and Employment Board
London First Education Network
Other useful links
