The Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority will take control of a £19million adult skills fund for the 2026/27 academic year, marking one of the biggest devolutions of power to the region to date.
It comes as the mayor pushes policymakers for more focused support for technical training.
It means the Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority (HEYCA) will have significant funds to spend on adult skills, bootcamps and training courses. The settlement and structure of delivery means the authority will play a central role in shaping opportunities around the precise needs of local people and employers.
The adult skills programme is now moving into a delivery phase, following meetings at No.10 North in Manchester. Mayor Luke Campbell, the leader of HEYCA, said the strategy and delivery of the skills fund would be shaped around needs of people living, working and doing business here.
“This is what devolution is supposed to be about” he said. “We know our area, we know where the opportunities are and we hear directly from businesses and residents about what they need. So having more of these decisions made here makes sense.”
Mayor Campbell said he is driven to get people back into work and to help make sure Hull and East Yorkshire becomes an even better place to build a career for the long-term.
He added:
“For me it’s simple. I want local people getting the skills they need to get a job, get a better job or build a proper career here, and I want our businesses to have the people they need to grow.
“We’ve got some huge opportunities in Hull and East Yorkshire. Now we’ve got to make sure our own people are in the best position to benefit from them.”
HEYCA is also using its new local role to make adult skills provision more flexible around learner needs. It is delivering new arrangements with neighbouring areas to help connect local people with the support they need with courses outside East Yorkshire.
At the Mayoral Council in Manchester, Mayor Campbell joined the Secretary of State for Education for a roundtable meeting to discuss the government’s emerging 14-19 reforms, including work experience and the future devolution of 16-19 funding.
Mayor Campbell is pushing for the government to offer more technical and non-academic routes into the work force. He said: “Waiting until people turn 16-years-old is too late. What I keep hearing from young people, schools, colleges and employers across Hull and East Yorkshire is that they want clearer routes into the skilled, well-paid jobs our regional economy is creating. This means proper work experience and technical routes being valued just as much as academic ones.
“Our region knows what it needs. That is why I want mayors to have more influence over 16-19 education and skills. I am determined to join things up locally and turn that into better opportunities for young people and stronger growth for our region.”
The combined authority’s Local Growth Plan identifies building skills and good work as one of the foundations for long-term economic growth. HEYCA will now oversee delivery of the devolved adult skills programme, working with colleges, councils, training providers, employers and neighbouring authorities.
Alongside aligning skills with economic needs, the adult skills fund will also minimise inequality and boost wellbeing with a focus on disadvantaged communities.
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