LOCAL businesses have the opportunity to help shape the skills and training delivered to Devon’s current and future workforce.

Devon County Council is calling on businesses from across Devon to come forward and take part in a series of focus groups that will look at the cost of learning, the availability of skills suppliers, the opportunities for young people, and the extent to which the skills of jobseekers match business needs.

The aim of the focus groups is to better understand the issues and challenges facing businesses in Devon in relation to skills and how to overcome these.

Feedback from the focus groups will be used by the Council to support the development of skills across the county’s workforce, helping to improve job prospects and open opportunities.

Councillor Andrew Leadbetter, Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member for Economy and Growth, said: “We are committed to working with businesses across Devon to help identify their skills and training needs.

“These focus groups will help explore some of the issues in more detail and identify the barriers we need to help them overcome.

“We are aiming to upskill the local workforce so that we are in the best position possible for future economic growth.”

The focus group work follows on from the Workforce Skills Survey that the Council commissioned last year through SERIO, a research unit based at Plymouth University.

For further information and to register interest in taking part in the focus groups please contact SERIO by visiting www.snapsurveys.com or calling 01752 588306.