New Commission launched into skills pipelines for financial and professional services in Yorkshire and the Humber
Michael Crowhurst
Public First is supporting a new commission, led by Yorkshire Building Society to examine how the supply of skills for the financial and professional services industry in Yorkshire and the Humber can be improved. The Commission is being delivered with the support of industry bodies TheCityUK, the City of London Corporation, and The Financial Services Skills Commission.
Research led by Public First will look to understand the current skills landscape in the region, projected skills challenges for FPS businesses and factors affecting the skills pipeline.
The Commission launched in March 2022 with a meeting of commissioners at Yorkshire Building Society’s head offices in Leeds.
Commenting on the launch of the Commission, Mr Heaps said: “Financial and professional services play a critical role in the success of Yorkshire and the Humber - employing around 150,000 people in the region and making up around 9% of its economy – but the sector faces significant challenges in securing the skills and talent needed if it is to grow as strongly as predicted.
“The work of the Commission therefore is vital in determining the priorities we need to improve the skills of the region’s workforce for the future and I’m confident, with cross-industry collaboration, it will result in meaningful recommendations that will enable a talent pipeline for financial and professional services that will benefit the region’s economy.”
Meet the Commissioners:
John Heaps (Chair) - Chairman, Yorkshire Building Society
Bill Jones - CEO and Principal, Leeds City College
Ben Still - Managing Director, West Yorkshire Combined Authority
Claire Tunley - CEO, Financial Services Skills Commission
Jennifer Hall - Employment Tax Director, PwC
John Walsh - Chair in Yorkshire and Humber, The City UK
Liz Dean - Chair in Yorkshire and Humber, Redmayne Bentley
Paul Cotton - Senior Partner, Eversheds Sutherland
Peter O’Brien - Executive Director, Yorkshire Universities
Rachel Elwell - CEO, Border to Coast Pensions Partnership
Stefan Hasse - Director, Whitecap Consulting Limited
Ex-officio - City of London Corporation
Tom Bousfield - Corporate Director of Growth, Business and Skills, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority
The Commission will look to gather insights from a wide range of sources including expert evidence sessions, one-to-one interviews with key figures within the region and sector, and analysis of key resources. It will then produce a report including conclusions and recommendations for improving skills pipelines for FPS employers in the region. Publication of the report is planned for Autumn 2023.
To find out more about the Commission, or to get in touch, contact Meg Price at [email protected].