The London economy cannot achieve its full growth potential until all Londoners are achieving their potential.
Find out more about plans to help every Londoner to get into work, progress their career and in doing so, to grow the economy.
Why it matters
Growing the skilled workforce is one of the most important drivers. It is critical to boosting productivity, reducing poverty and training enough workers for the green transition.
Diverse teams are more productive, engaged and innovative. Yet many businesses say that a lack of skills is restraining their growth[78] and London’s workforce in many growth sectors doesn’t reflect the city’s diversity.
London still has lots of job vacancies that businesses are struggling to fill. Despite this demand, too many Londoners aren’t in work or aren’t working to their full potential. They are shut out of the labour market because they have a disability or health condition, or because of discrimination, skills needs and caring responsibilities.
Housing and transport are also critical to having a large, skilled workforce who can afford to live in London and travel efficiently to work.
Our careers, skills, employment and health systems could be working together so much better for Londoners and for the economy. We’re going to take a radically different approach. We’re going to set London’s first Inclusive Talent Strategy.
10-year plan
- Publish the Inclusive Talent Strategy for London – an integrated workforce plan for the city:
- Support Londoners who face barriers to work to get quality jobs, adding to London’s supply of workers.
- Grow and diversify workforces in the growth sectors.
- Coordinate a massive investment in green skills.
- Make London a centre of excellence for fair pay and good work.
- Make sure London remains attractive for the best talent in the world.
Getting started: one-year actions
- Publish the Inclusive Talent Strategy.
- Pilot the new integrated approach to help economically inactive and young Londoners.
- Start to change the way London commissions adult education.
- Launch a new fund to reduce key skills gaps holding back growth.
- Deliver a London Youth Guarantee to reduce the proportion of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET).
Learn more about the key actions
Backing our businesses
Discover how we will continue to support London businesses from high streets to startups.
Local places
Learn how London will create more local places where businesses can grow and support their communities.
Housing and infrastructure
Understand London’s priorities for building new homes and infrastructure to boost growth.
Investment and promotion
Find out how we will win more investment in growth and build London’s global reputation.
Sources:
78. Greater London Authority (2022), Employer Skills Survey 2022 finds that a third of SMEs in London say that appropriately skilled staff is the biggest barrier to growth.