The Industrial Strategy White Paper has announced the government’s intention to set up long term strategies in four sectors in a bid to tackle UK productivity.  

Construction, life sciences, automotive, and artificial intelligence have been highlighted as having growth potential and being key to reviving productivity in the economy for a post-Brexit Britain.

A number of existing education-related strategies were also highlighted in the White Paper. These build on the Autumn budget announcements of increased funding for maths and technical education, and the creation of a National Retraining Scheme to determine areas of the economy where new skills are needed.

Ensuring the supply of skills at a local level is also key in the Industrial Strategy.  This will be supported by the creation of Skills Advisory Panels and Local Industrial Strategies.