My role
The region suffers from low skills and low productivity and faces a real challenge to achieve World Class Skills levels. I have a key role in championing the skills agenda to regional partners and employers, and challenging them to meet our committed aim for the region in achieving World Class skills by 2020. If we achieve this, then all regional residents and communities will benefit from improved economic success and social justice.
In terms of accessing key services, career opportunities and overcoming economic, social or educational barriers, this agenda links strongly with my Equalities role, and I see it is a fundamental priority in enabling the region to deliver opportunity for all.
I will be taking forward this agenda, by chairing an event over the summer which brings together skills experts from across the region, to share some best practice and celebrate what is working well, as well as looking at the obstacles people face, and how we can help overcome those collectively and constructively.
Our priorities
The East of England has one of the strongest and fastest growing economies in the UK. Our output totalled £105 billion in 2005 and we also enjoy one of the highest employment rates in the UK.
We are a global leader in science, technology, research and development. 30 of the world's leading research centres are based in the East of England including Microsoft in Cambridgeshire and the climate research centre at the University of East Anglia. We also have the highest number of employees in research and development in any UK region.
At the same time we have low skills and low productivity and face a real challenge to achieve World Class Skills levels. We are determined to bridge the skills gap in the region and also invest more into training and up-skilling our workforces. That is why The East of England Skills and Competitiveness Partnership (EESCP) was established in September 2005 to spearhead a step-change in the region's skills base by better coordinating resources and activity between the key organisations concerned with jobs, skills and training.
