The South West Regional Skills Partnership (SW RSP) has been established to help ensure that employers and businesses in the region have access to the skills they need to prosper and that individuals can get the training required to enable them to fulfil their career potential and ambitions within South West England. 
 
The SW RSP unites the business and learning community to create a demand-led approach to tackle the challenges and prioroties of the South West skills base. 
 
The SW RSP is leading on the development and implementation of the South West Skills Strategy (Microsoft Word Document - 2905.6kb) which is one of the key delivery arms of the Regional Economic Strategy. 
 
The SW RSP developed the European Social Fund Competitiveness and Convergence Frameworks for 2007-2013, and therefore has a duty to ensure that the frameworks are delivered so that ESF provision contributes to regional employment and skills priorities. 
 
The South West RDA funds the core activities of the SW RSP and works actively to support the skills priorities of the region as identified by the SW RSP. 
 
The main priorities for 2007-2010 are:

• Improving leadership and management skills
• Developing the enterprise skills of all ages within the South West
• Developing the skills to increase innovation and creativity within the SW economy
• Ensuring that the skills needs of the regional economy, and in key sectors in particular, are addressed at level 3 and above (including higher education)

For further information about the SW RSP and details of membership visit the website or contact the team on 01823 414404. 
 
Background 
 
Skills provision in the South West forms part of the Government's National Skills Strategy. In July 2003, the Government published its first national skills strategy, the White Paper: 21st Century Skills (Realising Our Potential). Importantly, this strategy identified a range of partnerships for delivery and stated that Government would take the lead by bringing departments and agencies with responsibility for skills and business support together nationally, regionally and locally. 
 
The Regional Development Agencies were invited to agree with their partners what structure would best deliver a better skills workforce to support the achievement of the Regional Economic Strategy. The South West Regional Skills Partnership forms part of the region's response.  
 
In March 2005, the Government published its second Skills White Paper: Skills: Getting on in business, getting on at work. This second White Paper builds on the first and develops a strategy for ensuring that employers have the right skills to support the success of their businesses and that individuals gain the skills they need to be employable and personally fulfilled.