South London employers unite behind new Employment and Skills Charter

Leading employers, educators, training providers, and local authorities gathered this week at Kingston College to show their support for the South London Employment and Skills Charter, a new initiative led by the South London Skills and Employment Alliance.

The Charter is designed to give businesses a strong voice in shaping workforce development, helping ensure that training aligns with industry needs. Attendees showed their commitment by signing the Charter and pledging to work together to improve skills provision across the region.

Sarah Ireland, chief executive of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, said: “It’s vitally important that we invest in the skills, talent and employment opportunities in South London. The Skills and Employment Charter is a great foundation for this, bringing together key players to make the most of our wonderful communities and residents.

“We need to understand what employers and organisations’ skills needs are, firstly to ensure that our educational establishments and our pathways are developing those skills and talents and secondly, for inclusion, to ensure everybody, including those that are currently economically inactive, has an opportunity.”

Business leaders raised current workforce challenges, including the rising cost of employment, growing demand for AI and retrofit skills, the shift to hybrid working, and the need to better engage older workers.

Matthew Hamilton, director of South London Partnership, said: “The Charter is essential to securing South London’s workforce for today and the future. Businesses must be at the heart of this conversation, ensuring we understand their needs and respond effectively.”

He also pointed to sector-specific shortages in health and care, environment, retail, and hospitality, stressing the need for coordinated action to equip residents with the right skills.

Craig Hurring, CEO of Love Wimbledon and co-chair of the Skills and Employment Alliance, said: “The Alliance is tackling South London’s skills challenge head-on, ensuring we have the right programmes in place to support residents and create meaningful job opportunities in collaboration with businesses and educators.”

He added: “The Charter is a tangible document that allows you to pledge that you want to be part of the work that’s happening through the Alliance and the Local Skills Improvement Plan and contribute towards ideas, innovations and approaches to build employment and opportunity in South London.”