You can now have your say on Ealing Council’s new plan to bring good, well-paid jobs to the borough and ensure businesses can thrive.
The council’s draft jobs and skills strategy complements its Good for Ealing programme and aims to cement the borough’s status as the £11billion commercial engine of west London, with vibrant and distinct local economies in each of the borough’s 7 towns where people, businesses, and communities can flourish together.
It will do this by focusing on high growth sectors and upskilling the local workforce to deliver a more dynamic and entrepreneurial economy.
Working in partnership
The draft strategy will see the council and its partners, including learning and training providers, local landowners, developers, businesses, investors, the voluntary and community sector, and academic institutions, focusing their resources and efforts.
It builds on the progress that has been made under the council’s Plan for Good Jobs, which helped kickstart the borough’s economic recovery after the pandemic. Since May 2022, that plan has helped the council and its partners deliver almost 5,000 opportunities for residents to access good and well-paid jobs, more than 1,000 new apprenticeships, and more than 6,000 new qualifications and training programme graduations.
A stronger focus on high-growth sectors
Although the approach sets out support for the sectors that already provide the largest number of jobs, like high streets, health and social care, and construction, the draft jobs and skills strategy introduces a new focus on 3 priority sectors which, if the right conditions are created, are likely to see the highest growth in the near future:
Creative and digital
- film, screen, and music, strengthening the borough’s unique heritage as the home of Ealing Studios and the cradle of British rhythm and blues
- building on the existing offer at the North Acton and Park Royal CEZ
- capitalising on existing industrial assets and development pipeline
Green and circular economy
- low carbon logistics and retrofitting
- modern food manufacturing and food technology
- industrial decarbonisation
Life sciences
- forging new partnerships with academia, including the University of West London, Imperial, and Brunel
- enabling the Imperial WestTech Corridor in North Acton
Why is a jobs and skills strategy needed?
The borough has already makes a huge contribution to the UK’s economy. It hosts Old Oak and Park Royal – the UK’s most significant regeneration and investment opportunity, which is set to deliver 56,000 new jobs. It has a strong economic base, with nearly 18,000 registered businesses and more than 220,000 workers.
The borough offers potential for growth and new jobs to rival any location in the UK, which reflects its excellent connectivity. Located on the doorstep of Heathrow airport, with 5 Elizabeth Line stations, and London’s HS2 terminus set to be at Old Oak, it is well placed to capitalise welcome good growth and jobs-led investment.
But despite that, the local economy is not working for everyone. A total of 34% of households are classified as deprived, and the number of working residents facing poverty is increasing. And, 14% of children are living in poverty. There are huge differences in household income across the borough, with the average in Southall Green and Southall Broadway roughly half of that in Southfield and Ealing Broadway.
‘A sustainable, diverse, and inclusive economy’
Councillor Kamaljit Nagpal, the council’s cabinet member for decent living incomes, said: “Every resident and business should have the opportunity to benefit from the growth and investment coming into the borough and should be fairly recognised for the contributions they make.
“This new draft jobs and skills strategy sets out how we will support businesses to thrive and grow, with greater access to affordable workspace, and how we will upskill the local workforce to meets those businesses’ needs.
“It aligns perfectly with the Mayor of London’s commitment to a London growth plan and the new government’s industrial strategy, meaning our borough will be well positioned to leverage future support from national and regional government.
“Through a genuine partnership approach, we will ensure our economy can grow to become more sustainable, diverse, and inclusive.”
Share your views
A consultation on the new draft strategy will run until Thursday 22 August.
