The sport and physical activity sector release local skills plan for Cheshire and Warrington
The Cheshire and Warrington Sport and Physical Activity Local Skills Plan will provide direction for the local sector to come together to build a strong and valued local profile, to maximise its impact on the health of the local population.
Alongside local employers, education providers, local authorities, the health sector and employability-focused organisations, the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) have implemented a local skills plan for sport and physical activity in Cheshire and Warrington.
Developed by the Cheshire and Warrington Local Skills Accountability Board (LSAB), the plan identifies key skills improvements, workforce challenges and priorities for local sport and physical activity. The aim is to develop a high quality, fit-for-purpose local sport and physical activity workforce which helps Cheshire and Warrington thrive.
Embedding a Skills Hub Manager into regions across the country, CIMSPA have been working with key stakeholders in local areas to establish Local Skills Accountability Boards with the main outcome being to understand local priorities within their given area.
According to CIMSPA diagnostic survey data, there are over 680 companies in the sport and physical activity sector in Cheshire and Warrington, with 56% of these being classed as a micro-enterprise.
This can create significant recruitment and retention challenges. For example, 28% of organisations find staff training opportunities too expensive, and 22% of organisations cannot release their staff for training due to capacity barriers.
The Cheshire and Warrington local skills plan for sport and physical activity aims to tackle the challenges that are impacting the local sector. There are three main recommendations: to raise awareness of sport and physical activity careers locally, to create inclusive training, employment and progression pathways that represents the local community, and to develop the capacity of the local sector workforce to contribute to Cheshire and Warrington health and economic priorities.
As outlined in our strategy ‘Releasing The Power Of Our Profession,’ local skills plans will deliver the individual and collective recognition that our sector workforce needs and deserves and will also position our sector where it needs to be to help support the health and wellbeing of our nation.
