Liverpool City Region unveils largest ever investment in adult skills training

THE Liverpool City Region has announced its largest ever investment in adult skills training under ambitious plans to upskill the area's workforce.

The Region will invest almost £60m to train more than 30,000 residents in a bid to tackle the Region's skills shortages and meet the needs of local employers.

As part of the investment, more than £54m will go to further education Colleges, local Councils and independent providers during the next academic year. An additional £3.7m will fund free level 3 (A-level equivalent training for people earning under £30,000 a year.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:- "Lifelong learning is an issue that is incredibly close to my heart, not least because I know the life-changing impact it can have on a person's life. It helped to take my career on a journey that I would never have thought possible, from bricklayer, to parliament and now Mayor of the Region I love; and I want to give as many people as possible that same chance. Since I became Mayor, we have invested hundreds of millions of pounds into adult education. This latest announcement is our biggest investment yet and will help to give tens of thousands more residents access to the support and training they need to build a successful career for themselves. It's proper levelling up in action."

Adult Skills Funding (ASF); formerly the Adult Education Budget; has been devolved to the Combined Authority since 2019.

The budget provides around two thirds of the funding each year to grant-funded providers such as Colleges and local authorities and the remaining third via contracted providers delivering in a current five-year commissioning cycle.

It also sets aside funding through the pioneering Test and Learn programme which allows the Combined Authority to experiment with new projects. The approach in the past has included courses to train FE tutors, engage refugees and asylum seekers in practical English and green skills for the construction industry.

During 2022/23, the ASF supported 35,480 students with 75% of learners living in disadvantaged areas.

For 2024/25 the Combined Authority will draw down £54,095,343 for the Adult Skills Fund. Additional funding of £3.7m will provide free level 3 (equivalent to A-level) job training to many residents during the year, particularly those without an existing Level 3 qualification.

The new, ringfenced funding from the Department for Education will also help people earning less than £30,000 a year to learn new skills.

Where are you likely to spot Red Squirrels this Easter

EASTER is a particularly good time to look for red squirrels around Formby as natural food sources are becoming more abundant and they are anxious to build up their strength and fat reserves after winter.

As well as eating they are also strengthening their drays, either in readiness for breeding or, for early starters, protecting the new born kits.

Formby is one of the few areas in England that enjoys a permanent red squirrel population and below are details of where you are likely to see them over the Easter break. You should follow the countryside code and preferably don't take dogs with you as the squirrels will see them 1st and rapidly disappear. Be quiet and take all litter home. Don't forget to pack your binoculars as reds are likely to be up in the tree canopy.

Vanessa Fawcett, campaign director of the Red Squirrel Survival Trust, explains:- "There are approximately 38,900 reds in England and Formby is a significant stronghold. Easter is so important as a good breeding performance helps protect and grow the local population. We want to encourage people to look for them in the wild but do not approach too closely and please, if you take your dog, keep it on a lead. A major threat to them is the non-native grey squirrel, many of which carry a pox that is harmless to them but almost inevitably fatal to our native reds. If members of the public do see reds, we would be grateful if they would report any sightings on our ArcGIS map."