Pioneering Industrial Workforce Plan to deliver UK growth plans from the Great South West

Great South West unveils strategic blueprint to meet workforce needs of nationally significant investments in the region.

At its Annual Conference on Friday 17 October 2025, the Great South West Partnership officially launched the region’s first-ever Industrial Workforce Plan (IWP) – a bold, unique strategy to deliver the workforce needs across the region’s major investment projects and accelerate delivery of the UK Government’s Mission for Growth. 

With a forecast demand for at least 27,000 new roles by 2035, the IWP maps the specific workforce needs of major investment projects, from Hinkley Point C, Floating Offshore Wind in the Celtic Sea and the Agratas gigafactory, to the Plymouth & South Devon Freeport and the Dorset Clean Energy Super Cluster. 

Karl Tucker, Chair of the Great South West Partnership, said: “This is a landmark moment for the region. The Industrial Workforce Plan brings regional clarity to a national challenge, ensuring the Great South West has the people, skills, and enabling infrastructure to deliver the UK’s clean energy transition, defence capabilities, and food security over the next decade, in parallel to major investments in our region that have national and global significance.”

The Plan, developed with GC Insight and shaped by over 100 regional and national stakeholders, provides a clear call to action for government, employers, and partners across the education and skills ecosystem. Key recommendations include:

• Establishing a Government-backed taskforce to ensure delivery of the region’s major investment projects has the necessary skills and wider enabling infrastructure in place.
• Investing in the region’s provider base to recognise its capabilities in delivering a strong talent pipeline for nationally significant projects.
• Piloting a future-ready curriculum to equip children and young people for high-value careers, and increase participation and outcomes from vocational programmes.
• Increasing funding and flexibilities in the proposed Skills & Growth Levy and other learning budgets to improve employer investment in skills initiatives, and the work-readiness of the region’s talent pipeline to succeed in securing new jobs.
• Accelerating and expanding infrastructure investment , from housing and transport to digital connectivity, to maximise the economic benefits across the region’s major investment projects and strategic locations.

Clive Higgins, Chair and CEO of Leonardo in the UK, said: “Leonardo wholeheartedly welcomes the launch of the Great South West Industrial Workforce Plan. This initiative is a critical strategic blueprint that addresses the needs of major investors and innovators by highlighting the importance of long-term high-value manufacturing and technological development in the South West. It focuses on areas that are essential to sustainable growth, such as the development of advanced manufacturing skills and digital infrastructure, to enrich and derisk local industry and supply chains. This in turn creates a stable and supportive environment that can attract further investment to the region,  acting as a catalyst to consolidate the Great South West’s position as a solid hub of aerospace and defence expertise, that can deliver a measurable and positive economic impact for the region now and far into the future.”

Andy Berry CBE, CEO at UCS College Group, said: "The Great South West Industrial Workforce Plan is incredibly important to the UCS College Group and the wider FE and HE sectors, because it recognises how intrinsic we are when it comes to delivering the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy. By fostering collaboration between education providers, businesses, and government, we can build a workforce that meets current demands and drives inward investment into the region; delivering innovation and economic growth for generations to come, ensuring the South West is at the heart of the UK’s industrial future."

Joe Wharton, Assistant Director at Homes England said: “Homes England is pleased to support this important industrial workforce plan led by the Great South West, which provides valuable insights into the region’s skills landscape across industrial and housing delivery.

“This work will help inform targeted investment and showcase the South West’s diverse strengths that support the economic growth that underpins housing delivery.”

Download the Industrial Workforce Plan: https://greatsouthwest.co.uk/insights/