Development Fund

Main SW HLSP Development Fund

The original SW Higher Skills Development Fund totaled £1.47 million, and was distributed to a variety of projects throughout the south west. This fund enabled Institutions across the region to work with SW Employers to develop new or bespoke provision that met their higher level skills demands. 28 separate projects (led by regional HEIs/FECs) across the pathfinder sectors of Creative Industries, Engineering and in general Business Improvement were funded. These have now reached delivery phase and have been completed in line with the main activity closure at the end of December 2009. A summary of the projects that were funded is available.

HLSP Low Carbon Sector Capacity Building Fund - NEW

As part of the SW HLSP Low Carbon sector extension to July 2010, a further small capacity building fund of £55K has been made available for short term higher skills provision development projects. HEI/FEC partners across the region are now invited to bid to receive funding to contribute to projects to develop provision that meets employers' specific higher skills needs, relating to the marine energy, non-marine renewables, low carbon manufacturing or renewable construction sub-sectors. The provision must be between Level 4 - 8 equivalent to qualify.

For full details of the bidding criteria and the proposal process please download the following documents (click on the link and select Higher Skills/Briefings):

HLSP Capacity Building Fund - Bid Criteria

HLSP Capacity Building Fund - Proposal Document

Expressions of interest are also invited for larger projects or longer term projects, since these may become fundable through a Low Carbon High Skills project currently under development at Universities South West.

Examples of related projects funded through the original development fund:

Product Carbon Footprint and Labelling

In response from employer demand (Duchy Originals, Yeo Valley Farms, Walls Ice Cream, Bath Ales and Sustain Ltd) the Carbon Trust and the University of Bath aims to develop an innovative training response to emerging requirements for "carbon thinking" across many roles and operations. Bite-sized distance learning will allow employers to develop in-house skills, utilize joined up carbon analysis techniques to clarify product carbon footprint thinking.

Air Quality and Carbon Management

In response to the demands of local authorities and environmental consultancies in the south west to raise and accredit the higher skills of their air quality professionals the University of the West of England have developed a CPD Certificate. Training materials relating to air quality and carbon management have been developed that comprise 40 mini-modules of 5 credits each, delivered through blended/online learning.