The Cheshire & Warrington Local Skills Improvement Plan, or LSIP, helps make sure local training and skills provision reflects what employers need.

It brings businesses, colleges, universities, training providers and local partners together so that employers have a stronger voice in shaping local skills provision.

For employers, the LSIP is here to make the skills system easier to understand and easier to access.

Many employers across Cheshire and Warrington are finding it difficult to recruit people with the right technical skills, workplace behaviours and future-ready capabilities.

The 2026–2029 LSIP is based on direct engagement with employers, business survey evidence and wider partner input. It identifies the skills priorities that matter most to businesses and sets out actions to help training provision respond.

The aim is simple: to help more businesses access the talent and training they need, and to help more residents move into good work.

The Cheshire & Warrington LSIP is led by South & North Cheshire Chamber of Commerce & Industry, working with employers and partners across the sub-region.

We work closely with businesses, training providers, colleges, universities, local authorities, the Cheshire & Warrington Combined Authority, DWP and other local organisations to support a more joined-up skills system.

The LSIP can help your business by making it easier to find the right local skills support.

We can help you:

• Understand local training options
• Connect with colleges, universities and training providers
• Explore apprenticeships and apprenticeship levy opportunities
• Find support to recruit, retain and develop staff
• Share your current and future skills needs
• Influence the training available locally
• Access local labour market and skills intelligence

If you are not sure where to start, you can book a free 1-2-1 discussion with the LSIP team.

No. The LSIP is for employers of all sizes, including SMEs.

One of the clear findings from the latest LSIP is that smaller employers often find the skills and training system difficult to navigate. A key part of our work is helping SMEs find clearer routes into training, apprenticeships, funding and provider support.

The 2026–2029 LSIP focuses on the skills employers need now and in the future.

Priority areas include:

• Advanced manufacturing
• Agri-tech and food security
• Business and professional services
• Clean energy
• Life sciences
• Construction
• Health and social care
• Digital skills
• Visitor economy
• Sustainability and green skills

Across these areas, employers have highlighted the need for stronger technical skills, digital and AI capability, sustainability skills, leadership and management, and workplace readiness.

Employers told us that they continue to face challenges recruiting people with the right skills and experience.

Common themes include:

• Difficulty finding candidates with the right technical skills
• A need for stronger workplace behaviours, communication and problem-solving
• Growing demand for digital, AI and sustainability skills
• The need for better technician and higher technical pathways
• Challenges for SMEs in navigating training, funding and apprenticeships
• A need for stronger links between employers and education providers

These findings shape the actions in the 2026–2029 LSIP.

Yes. We can help you understand what training is available locally and connect you with relevant providers.

This may include apprenticeships, short courses, funded training, technical qualifications, leadership development or sector-specific provision.

If you have a particular skills need, we can help you explore which local providers may be able to support you.

Yes. We can help employers understand apprenticeships, explore suitable apprenticeship routes and connect with local providers.

We can also help employers understand apprenticeship levy opportunities, including where levy transfer support may be available to help fund apprenticeship training.

An apprenticeship levy transfer allows a levy-paying employer to transfer unused apprenticeship levy funds to another employer.

This can help SMEs and other organisations access funding for apprenticeship training, while allowing larger employers to support skills development locally.

The LSIP can help employers understand how levy transfers work and connect interested businesses where appropriate.

Yes. Employer feedback is central to the LSIP.

By sharing your recruitment challenges, training needs and future skills priorities, you can help shape local training provision and make sure the skills system better reflects what businesses need.

You can share your views by contacting the LSIP team, completing an enquiry form, attending events or taking part in future engagement activity.

The LSIP works with colleges, universities, independent training providers and wider partners to share employer evidence and support better alignment between training provision and business need.

This helps providers understand where demand is changing, where skills gaps are emerging and where new or adapted provision may be needed.

The LSIP helps improve the link between local training and local job opportunities.

By working with employers and providers, the LSIP supports clearer routes into skilled work, progression and training. It also links with wider activity focused on employment, inclusion and helping more residents access good work.

The LSIP recognises that skills and employment opportunities should be accessible to more people across Cheshire and Warrington.

Our work links with partners focused on employment support, careers, inclusion and workforce development to help widen access to opportunities and support employers to recruit from a broader talent pool.

The 2026–2029 LSIP is a live plan. This means it will continue to develop as employer needs, economic conditions and local priorities change.

The LSIP team will continue to engage with employers, providers and partners to monitor progress, gather new evidence and support delivery.

You can get involved by:

• Booking a 1-2-1 discussion with the LSIP team
• Telling us about your skills and recruitment needs
• Joining employer engagement activity
• Taking part in surveys, events or sector conversations
• Sharing examples of skills challenges or good practice
• Exploring apprenticeships, levy transfer or training options

If you are an employer and want help navigating local skills support, please contact us.