TheTalentPeople’s Post

The Business Council welcomes the federal government’s new National Productivity Fund as a step in the right direction to address Australia’s lagging productivity. BCA Chief Executive Bran Black said, “The BCA has long called for a national fund to assist in lifting our ailing productivity growth – which is currently at six-decade lows.” Incentivising states and territories to undertake key reforms will create a more harmonised approach across the board, making it faster and easier to boost housing supply. Today’s announcement is a positive sign that government recognises the bottlenecks contributing to Australia’s housing crisis and the need for productivity growth. Read more here: https://bit.ly/3AQffa9

The UK is renowned for being the best place to start and grow a business, but a slow #planning system, due to lack of resource and #specialist skills, is holding firms, and the country, back and impacting #economic growth. To tackle the problem, #business must be part of the solution.   This is why the British Chambers of Commerce have partnered with Aviva to establish a new five-year industry-led programme to increase #skills and capacity in Local Planning Authorities (LPAs).   The programme will pay for at least 100 undergraduate and masters’ level #qualifications for people entering the planning #industry, and for people already working in LPAs who need to develop skills for more senior planning roles.   It will pay for the learner’s #training and will aim to facilitate work #experience and jobs within LPAs. In return, at the end of their course of study, the learner must commit to work in a #council planning role for at least two years.   The larger the fund, the more learners can be helped and the greater the impact business can have now and in the future. We are asking #businesses from all sectors to contribute to the programme’s fund with the aim of raising at least £3 million. Aviva is contributing £500,000 as the first UK firm to support the scheme. More details are provided in the article below. https://lnkd.in/eYZGsSnx

This really comes as no surprise. The process has significant flaws. And big flagship projects on their own can't fix the systemic problems created by years of cuts to public funding and services, and structural inequalities that exist. Yes, this money is needed. And yes, levelling up is beyond necessary. But these projects and this funding is tinkering around the edges and fails to address the large scale challenges that face many areas outside of the south east - the northwest certainly. I'm sure the local authorities will be blamed for not having delivered next, rather than looking at what was wrong with the process itself. The lack of evaluation in place in itself is telling. We don't need pocket money and headline winning projects. We need a change in the whole system. And it can't come soon enough. https://lnkd.in/gAAMWDiF

Some great SME initiatives announced here ... 💥 Increased Cost of Business grant **REBATE ON YOUR RATES!** deadline extended to 29th May. 💥 Energy efficiency grant aid increased from 50% to 75% of spend. 💥 Digital Start grant rolled out to all sectors. I don't know what this "SME test" research piece is about yet but here's hoping someone is going to apply some common sense to the huge admin cost that has been added to SMEs in the last couple of years directly as a result of government policy, such as the sick pay scheme, "enhanced" reporting and auto-enrolment. 🤞 🤞 #smefinance #smesupport #sme #lean #localenterpriseoffice

This article is not surprising considering the difficulties councils faced in the mobilisation phases of the Levelling Up Fund and the changing winds of inflation and building costs over the last three years. But it also highlights 3 other key things.... 1) The importance of ensuring the plan is robust, credible and truly deliverable from the very outset, with the right level of contingency baked in. 2) That the plan is rooted in deep and committed partnerships that bring capacity and expertise to driving the projects forward. 3) That #levellingup is not just about capital projects but is about a holistic approach to #regeneration that combines shiny new stuff with investment in education, skills, housing, infrastructure, community and cultural initiatives and much more. Regeneration is hard and sometime very long-term but it can have very real and 'compelling' impacts if the right approach is taken from the outset and everybody with a stake to play in it is brought around the table to play their part. https://lnkd.in/dCB7HQFq

U.S. Department of Commerce Announces New $25 Million Good Jobs Challenge Notice of Funding Opportunity New funding builds on historic investment from Biden-Harris Administration’s American Rescue Plan that has placed thousands of Americans into good-paying jobs Contact: EDA Public Affairs Department, [email protected] WASHINGTON, DC – The Biden-Harris Administration, through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), today launches a new phase of funding for the Good Jobs Challenge. This funding opportunity builds on the success of the first round of the Good Jobs Challenge awards, funded by the American Rescue Plan, and this round will invest $25 million into high-quality, locally-led workforce training programs that lead to good jobs.  The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) the Department is launching today will support sectoral partnerships that bring together diverse stakeholders including employers, labor unions, educational institutions, training organizations, community-based organizations, and others to develop high-quality training programs that lead directly to a good job. EDA anticipates making 5-8 awards ranging from $1 million to $8 million, which are anticipated to be announced in winter 2024. The FY 2024 Good Jobs Challenge NOFO is targeted at jobs that advance industries critical to U.S. economic competitiveness and the competitiveness of the applicant’s region, including jobs that do not require a four-year college degree. Applicants must implement training for jobs that advance key technology focus areas as established by the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, which include advanced energy, biotechnology, robotics, and semiconductors. EDA will prioritize applicants that include worker voice through partnerships with labor unions or worker-serving organizations, support for workers at all levels of certification and degree status, and prioritize workers that are adversely impacted by changes in technology.   The $25 million investment builds on the inaugural Good Jobs Challenge, which was funded at a historic $500 million level through the American Rescue Plan. In August 2022, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced 32 winners of the inaugural Good Jobs Challenge that aimed to train and place 50,000 workers in good jobs. These awards are advancing job training in a wide range of sectors, including agriculture and food production, energy and resilience, healthcare, manufacturing, and information technology. As the Good Jobs Challenge concludes its second year of implementation, it is delivering strong outcomes and looks to hit 10,000 job placements later this year.  

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻  The Autumn Statement will be a defining moment for the Government. It will have a fundamental impact in determining public service expenditure for at least the next two years, and the Prime Minister has forewarned of “painful budget decisions”. This is a worrying time for commissioners and providers. Commissioners are anxious to agree budgets, so that they can start procurements. Providers lack clarity on future funding. The fiscal environment has echoes of 2010, when the coalition Government slashed public expenditure as part of austerity measures. Earlier this week, Michael Gove conceded that at that time, local government took an “unfair share” of cuts. There’s an argument that some public services never recovered from austerity, including the employability sector. The employability sector has always been cyclical and prone to changes in economic conditions. Over the last 25-years the composition of the market has changed beyond recognition. Only a few of the organisations that delivered New Deal and Employment Zones at the turn of the century still operate. The sector has evolved as providers have exited the market, gone into liquidation or been subject to acquisition. Cyclical changes aren’t the sole reason for the high rate of market churn, however. Employability providers have also struggled to branch out into adjacent public service markets where they could apply core transferable skills.   Diversification can play a key role in long-term commercial sustainability. There’s a consensus emerging that the Total Place strategy, designed to align public expenditure, achieve efficiencies, integrate services, and focus on early prevention may be resurrected by the Government. This presents an opportunity for providers to take stock of their business strategy over the next five years. The employability market is likely to remain turbulent, as the Government implements their manifesto pledges, so now is the time to: ·   𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆: Identify the markets where you forecast the highest growth, focus on your value proposition and engage with commissioners prior to bidding   ·   𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀: A renewed focus on economic inactivity will result in funding being channelled into related markets e.g. community healthcare (mental and occupational health); the total addressable market is £8billion+ per year ·   𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗔𝗰𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Market turbulence in the health and skills markets presents acquisition opportunities; this can be a gateway to diversifying funding streams and opening new relationships with commissioners 50 Degrees can help you identify and capitalise on new market opportunities. If you require support in creating a market development or diversification strategy, then contact [email protected]

We've been calling for action on planning for some time now so it's great to see concrete steps... ...And some real action. BOOM BOOM. 🦊 UK based private capital specialists have £178 billion of funds to invest, which they expect to deploy in the next three to five years. Historically, around half of the funds managed in the UK, known in the industry as ‘dry powder’, are put to work here.   BVCA's Investment Commission with Public First found that planning delays and poor public infrastructure were major barriers to deploying investment in the UK. In our British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) member survey, we found that 35% of respondents say businesses they invest in have experienced problems because of planning delays, and 33% say planning reform would make it easier for them to invest in UK businesses.    So it was great that it was confirmed today that the Chancellor will also announce a £36m package of investment in the planning system with 300 new planners.   Government investment in planning and infrastructure will help address major uncertainty and barriers facing #privateequity and #venturecapital investors and the businesses they invest in.

Another insightful blog on the important role that market diversification can play in achieving long term commercial sustainability from our Research & Advisory Lead David MacDougall

“Councils in England will be told to cut spending on consultants and diversity schemes when Chancellor Jeremy Hunt delivers his Budget on Wednesday.” I do not normally comment on politics. But I make an exception at this. This is, at best, lazy and a distraction, at worst, it shows a deeply ill-informed view of the real challenges facing Local Government and the urgent need for a longer term sustainable solution. Diversity and consultancy spend are not behind the problems Local Government is facing. This is a click-bait headline, designed to distract from the real challenges Local Government is grappling with, and no doubt this will influence short-term reactive decision- making, which I guarantee will be to the detriment of council services and residents. I have spent my career in Local Government and there is a clear and valuable role for good external independent consultancy support to the sector, as in any industry. Yes, there are bad consultancy contracts, just as there are bad budgets. But the intentions of this budget and the messaging around it are purely short-term. Not driven around improved outcomes, not driven around sustainability, not driven around mitigating long term pressures. These are the things that keep Local Authority Chief Executives awake at night. Working with Local Government to address these challenges is not an easy career choice. There are easier and more rewarding jobs out there. Those of us in organisations like C.Co do it because we are driven by a belief in the importance of local services and a passion to improve public services and to do the right thing. I would suggest Jeremy Hunt needs to consider what 'doing the right thing' really means.