Salford City Council and partners have launched a new Skills and Employment strategy for 2023 – 2028.
The strategy aims to better connect local people to the growth that is taking place across the city and to narrow inequalities across the borough.
Over the past decade, Salford has become one of the fastest growing places in the North of England, with a changing economy and change driven by regeneration in areas of the city. This unprecedented growth is creating new opportunities at a pace and scale not seen for generations.
Salford’s labour market has seen rapid growth and change in recent years including a huge increase in the number of people living and working in Salford, with a population growth of 36,000 (15.4%) between 2011 and 2021, growth and demand from the borough’s employers and the shift in the pattern of work among Salford residents.
However, inequalities are still prevalent in Salford, with 1 in 9 working-age people not in work or not seeking work. There is also poor attainment of level 3 qualifications (including A Levels, BTEC or T Level) by the age of 19 in Salford, which could impact on the ability to attain higher-skilled, high-quality jobs.
The strategy aims to ensure that the growth of Salford’s economy and labour market works to enhance opportunities and narrow inequalities within the city. For that to happen, this strategy must ensure that more young people, unemployed and economically inactive adults, and existing workers in low-paid jobs, are able to get their fair share of Salford’s thriving economy.
The new Salford Employment and Skills Strategy 2023-28 sets out how partners in Salford plan create a more inclusive labour market, helping more local people of working age share in the benefits of the city’s growth.
The strategy has four main objectives including:
- Helping young people in Salford achieve and progress in their careers
- Support more adults in Salford entering into and staying in good work
- Helping more working residents progress in their careers
- Ensuring employers in Salford are better able to access and develop skills for growth
Each objective has its own priorities and KPIs to support with the delivery of the strategy.
Salford’s strategies are well aligned with The Greater Manchester Strategy 2021-31, which sets out the city region’s ambitions to become a greener, fairer and more prosperous place.
To view the full Salford Employment and Skills Strategy 2023 – 2028, click here.
