Our Clients are Superfans
“Glenn delivers high quality advice and insights based on years of experience with no fuss, he just delivers the results you need.”
“Glenn’s work is highly professional, demonstrating a very high level of stakeholder management, workshop and facilitation skills.”
Local London
“Glenn is an uber-consultant, a cut above the rest.”
UK Innovation Corridor
“Glenn, Mike and Hannah delivered us a high quality and locally focused employment, careers and skills strategy and action plan that allows us to take our approach and reputation for skills to the next level.”
The Local Skills Improvement Partnership
We are a consortium of experienced advisors and consultants who have put together this site to help you deliver the best Local Skills Improvement Plan for your region
We combine our extensive experience, with findings from evidence, evaluation and guidance to provide expert advice and support to Supercharge your Local Skills Improvement Plan
This site Provides
Information about LSIPs, what they are for and who can benefit
Guidance on delivering high impact LSIPs that can transform your local skills system
We Have Direct Experience of Delivering Local Skills Plans
- Positioning organisations to be the no. 1 authority on labour market, skills and employment issues in their locality and region
- Bringing employers and training and skills providers to make the skills system work better for the local economy
- Engaging with employers and businesses to include their needs within the skills system and provision
Experience, cutting edge analysis at an affordable cost
- No-one does it better: analysis and practice at the cutting edge
- Reports you can hand to a minister: experienced pros do all of the hands-on work
- Your budget goes much further: 100% higher quality for 30% lower day rates
We Have an Outstanding Delivery Record for Local and Regional Skills Work
- South Yorkshire skills strategies: LSIP evidence base and drafting support, and support for the People and Skills Manifesto (2022/23)
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough LSIP: Quarterly reviews and events for the Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce (ongoing)
- Warwickshire Careers, Employment and Skills Strategy and Action Plan (2024/25)
- Regional skills action plans for the Forth Valley Region and Tay Cities Region in Scotland (2024/25)
- Green Economy and Jobs Strategy and Action Plan for North of Tyne Combined Authority (2022)
- Vocational skills for 16-19 year olds in the West of England for WECA (2021)
- Evidence base and analysis for the Liverpool City Region Skills Strategy (2018)
Your Expert Team
Glenn Athey
Glenn (BA, MA, PhD) has 31 years of experience in local and regional skills and labour market policy and analysis. Glenn has held senior roles at Futureskills Scotland, London Development Agency, Centre for Cities, The East of England Development Agency, and Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP.
Mike Spicer
Mike (B.Sc., M.Sc.) has over 20 years of experience as an economist, business policy expert, and economic development specialist. Mike founded PolicyDepartment after a decade at the British Chambers of Commerce working as Director of Economics, Policy, and Research, building strong UK business connections.
Hannah Lazarus
Hannah (B.Sc.) has 22 years of experience as a labour market economist, specialising in skills strategies. Prior to consultancy, Hannah was an economic analyst at the East of England Development Agency, where she co-produced the Regional Economic Strategy and Implementation Plan (leading on skills and employability) and a research analyst at the East of England Skills and Competitiveness Partnership.
Experience, cutting edge analysis at an affordable cost
No-one does it better: analysis and practice at the cutting edge
Our consultants – Glenn Athey, Mike Spicer, and Hannah Lazarus – each have over 20 years of applied experience in labour markets, skills, and economics.We have held senior roles in influential organisations. We possess a deep understanding of the UK skills and employment landscape and use the latest data sources, techniques and technologies.
Reports you can hand to a minister: experienced pros do all of the hands-on work
We are very experienced professionals with a decades long track record of work. We speak the language of leaders and senior stakeholders, delivering impactful presentations and fostering trust. We deliver reports based on robust evidence and analysis that can be handed to a Minister.
Your budget goes much further: 100% higher quality, 30% lower day rate
We are a collaboration of experienced professionals with a brilliant track record. We don’t have expensive offices. We don’t need to insert partners or directors to head up projects at exhorbitant day rates whom you will never see after the inception meeting. We don’t need to cream off profits by getting inexperienced graduates to do 99% of the work. You will see that our day rates are at least 30% lower than big consultancy firms, and the quality of work, outputs and standards of management and communication you get are 100% higher.
Explained in 3 minutes: Local Skills Improvement Plans
𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝘼𝙧𝙚 𝙇𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙎𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙄𝙢𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙨? Local Skills Improvement Plans are Three-Year Plans to Align Training Provision to Employer Needs, Usually Led by an Employer Representative Body (ERB) Aiming Improve the Performance of the Local Skills System. A Local Skills...
Is the Level of Business Engagement Low in Your Local Skills Improvement Plan? How to Boost Engagment
To maximise participation and business engagement in workshops, interviews, and surveys, pitch relevant questions and repeat online events. Consider purchasing business samples from marketing databases to expand reach. Clearly emphasise the research's purpose and...
The UItimate Guide to Planning and Implementing Your Local Skills Improvement Plan
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻? 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗨𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘔𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘚𝘐𝘗 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘚𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘉𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘴 Leading a Local Skills Improvement Plan is a significant undertaking, but the rewards – a more skilled workforce, a stronger economy, and...