Businesses across West London are being urged to have their say, and share their challenges and insights into employing more staff locally at sector-specific early January online roundtables. Aimed at digital, hospitality, retail, transport & logistics and manufacturing businesses in the area, these virtual events will shape the in-person West London Skills Summit on Wednesday 25 January, and directly inform how skills shortages are tackled across the area.

Organised by West London Business, the organisation that champions and supports businesses in the UK’s most connected region, and West London Alliance, the online sessions and West London Skills Summit will shape the London Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP). It is backed by Government and funded by the Department for Education. By bringing employers and educators together, LSIP’s play a key role in tackling technical skills shortages, ensuring training provision matches West London’s labour market needs, and supports employers in order to upskill staff and fill local vacancies.

Andrew Dakers, Chief Executive of West London Business, said: “In an exceptionally tight labour market, and with an urgency to get our economy back to growth, setting up our skills system for success is more important than ever.

“We need businesses to get involved and have their say to feed into the London Local Skills Improvement Plan, which will play a key role in tackling technical skills shortages. It will bring employers and educators together to ensure training matches West London’s needs. Getting involved in these roundtables, and then the Skills Summit, is a fantastic way to start the new business year and have a say on what is needed to attract and grow the best local business talent.”

The free online roundtable sessions will take place throughout January as follows:

• Digital roundtable (10am – 12 noon, Mon 9 January)

• Hospitality roundtable (9.30am – 11.30am, Tues 10 January)

• Retail roundtable (9am – 11am, Weds 11 January)

• Transport & Logistics roundtable (9.30am – 11.30am, Thurs 12 January)

• Food & Drink Manufacturing roundtable (10.30am – 12.30pm, Fri 13 January)

Places are limited and will be assigned on a first-come-first-served basis.

The online roundtables will be followed by an in-person West London Skills Summit at the University of West London, Ealing, on Wednesday 25 January 2023. The Skills Summit will also cover social care, creative/media, green skills and healthcare.