28 April 2025
In 2023, the West of England Institute of Technology (WEIoT) secured £3 million in funding through the Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF), leading a significant regional project that brought together further education providers and stakeholders across the West of England. This funding allowed colleges and partners to collaboratively respond to employer-led priorities identified through the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP), led regionally by Business West.
As the lead organisation, WEIoT worked closely with Weston College, City of Bristol College, Yeovil College, Bath College, South Gloucestershire & Stroud (SGS) College, St. Brendan’s Sixth Form College and the Western Training Provider Network (WTPN). Together, they delivered projects focused on boosting skills provision, enhancing learning environments, and embedding future-focused training across priority sectors.
The LSIF funding was designed to strengthen the region’s ability to address skills gaps by investing in innovative curriculum design, employer-led learning, staff development, and new technologies. From the introduction of Skills Bootcamps and advanced clinical skills suites to the refurbishment of employer engagement spaces and expanded sustainability initiatives, each organisation has contributed to reshaping technical education for the better.
Claire Arbery, Director of the West of England Institute of Technology, said:
“The WEIoT has been the enabler to access funding for the wider region and to engage with both education and employer partners to start to deliver the change we need for the region to address the skills challenges we face in the future. The collaborative nature of the project meant all partners worked together for a collective aim and funding was maximised and duplication was minimised. Collaboration takes time, effort and trust, this project has helped to establish and cement these principles for the West of England for the future and we are delighted that the WEIoT was able to accomplish this for our region.”
Read on to find out about what our partners did with their share of the funding in response to the LSIP. The full impact of the project, including individual college case studies, photos and reflections, is now available to view in an interactive digital format.
