– Episode 10: Investment In Sussex Skills Needs More Than Duct Tape And Goodwill
Host: Richard Freeman Guest: Dan Shelley – Chair, Sussex Local Skills Improvement Plan Board
This episode is brought to you in partnership with: Let's Do Business Finance – A British Business Bank-accredited lender, providing tailored funding and expert advice to new and growing ventures across Sussex since 2004. 👉 letsdobusinessfinance.co.uk
🔍 Episode summary
In this deep-dive episode, Richard speaks with Dan Shelley, one of the South East's leading thinkers on skills and regional development, about the real infrastructure behind economic inclusion: adult education, technical training, and making the skills system actually work for Sussex.
Dan unpacks the role of the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) – a pan-Sussex strategy he helped shape – and why aligning education and economic strategy is vital.
From digital bootcamps to hospitality apprenticeships, he highlights the collaborative groundwork already underway – and sets out what's needed next, especially if Sussex is to make the most of devolved powers.
🎯 Why this matters for devolution
With a mayoral combined authority likely on the horizon, the episode explores how a reformed skills agenda could:
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Unlock economic mobility for adults across Sussex
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Link funding to real-world job opportunities in growth sectors
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Join up fragmented provision under a clear regional framework
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Build anchor partnerships between FE, HE and employers
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Empower a more inclusive and dynamic workforce
"The skills system is a big, beautiful mess – but Sussex is ready to tidy it up."
Topics include:
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What the LSIP actually is – and why it's already working
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Sussex's seven priority sectors – and the real skills gaps they face
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How devolution could shift adult education budgets and accountability
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Lessons from Liverpool and the Netherlands on region-led innovation
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Why FE is both vital and undervalued – and what needs to change
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Microbusinesses, public value, and the myth of trickle-down skills
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📚 Further reading and links
🎧 Production credits
Host: Richard Freeman Guest: Dan Shelley Sound design / editing / original music: Chris Thorpe-Tracey Production management: Letitia McConalogue Recorded at: Projects: The Lanes, Brighton
📣 Get involved
Want to help reimagine democracy, identity and regional change in Sussex? Join the conversation and find resources at sussexandthecity.info