Skills Accelerator Early Evaluation

The Skills Accelerator, incorporating Local Skills Improvement Plans trailblazers and a pilot £65m Strategic Development Fund (SDF) was announced in the Skills White Paper. Within varied contexts, the SDF pilot will provide capital and programme grant funding to build capacity and explore how education providers can work together most effectively, with employers and other partners, to respond to local skills and innovation priorities. This project will provide early evidence on successful SDF applicants’ collaboration and how they begin to make use of funding. IES will undertake 35 in-depth interviews with successful applicants and relevant partners/stakeholders to inform the Spending Review.