Skills and training ecosystems

The focus of this chapter is the results of workshops and study visits to the case study areas, intended to determine the skills needs, issues around developing training and competencies, the role of networks in skills development, and the outcomes of skills and training development activities. Combined with the survey results, a skill ecosystem (clusters or networks between firms and skill development institutions) is mapped for each of the case study regions, illustrating the levels of interaction between small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and the organisations in their area considered by them to be important for their skills and training development.A synthesis analysis was then undertaken, comparing and contrasting the similarities and differences across the different regions. Of particular note was the finding that skills and training development policies need to be individually focused for their local area. Policy implications, based on the results of the research data, note that a key challenge for policy makers is how to combine a diverse range of policy instruments across a wide range of portfolios in order to manage an assorted bundle of ecosystems. The importance of regional networks and locally appropriate policies are emphasised.