South London annex to the London Local Skills Improvement Plan

Five sectors. Five priorities. One goal.

A stronger more inclusive, employer informed skills system in South London.

The refreshed South London Annex to the London Local Skills Improvement Plan (SLP), a shared roadmap developed with employers, education providers, local authorities, and partners to help shape a stronger, more inclusive skills system for South London. The SLP annex is part of the wider London LSIP written by BusinessLDN, working jointly with the GLA. The SLP annex provides a strategic framework for sub regional and borough activity and ensures the development of skills and employment programme delivery is informed by local business and employers.

It sets out the skills, employment and workforce priorities that will help drive growth across Croydon, Kingston, Merton, Richmond and Sutton over the next three years.

Developed with input from more than 600 stakeholders, including over 150 employers, the annex identifies the skills challenges and opportunities facing South London’s economy and outlines a practical action plan to help residents access good jobs while supporting employers to grow.

Five priority sectors

The refreshed annex focuses on five sectors that are critical to South London’s future:

• Health, Care and Life Sciences
• Construction, Engineering and the Built Environment, including Nature and Net Zero
• Creative and Digital
• Visitor Economy, Retail and Hospitality
• Education and the educator workforce pipeline

Five priorities for action

Employers and stakeholders highlighted five areas where collective action is needed:

• Supporting more young people into employment
• Expanding access to work experience and meaningful encounters with employers
• Creating a more inclusive workforce
• Helping employers engage with and shape skills provision
• Building a future-ready workforce with stronger digital, AI and technical skills

This is a collective commitment to ensuring local people can access good jobs while employers have access to the skills and talent they need to thrive.

Read the full refreshed South London Annex and London LSIP to discover the evidence, priorities and actions shaping the future workforce of South London.

Find out more about the progress we’ve already made on delivering the 2023-2026 plan at our annual LSIP summit or by reading our annual progress reports below.