By Rachel Nicholls, Chief Executive Officer, Inspire Education Group
"The publication of the latest Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) for Cambridgeshire & Peterborough and Greater Lincolnshire marks an important milestone in shaping the future of skills across our region.
"I'd like to begin by congratulating the Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses in Greater Lincolnshire, together with the employers, education providers, Combined Authorities and partners who have contributed to developing these plans. Bringing together such a breadth of evidence, labour market intelligence and employer insight to identify the priorities for regional skills is no small undertaking, and the result provides a clear framework for the years ahead.
Rachel Nicholls was invited to be on a discussion panel at the 2026 Peterborough Growth Summit by Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce. Credit: We Do Stories
"Across the country, there is no shortage of ambition. National and local growth plans, industrial strategies, employment initiatives and Local Skills Improvement Plans all share a common purpose: creating stronger economies, more productive businesses and better opportunities for people. The challenge for all of us is to ensure these strategies complement one another so that our collective energy is focused on delivery, collaboration and measurable impact.
"As an education provider operating across both Cambridgeshire & Peterborough and Greater Lincolnshire, Inspire Education Group is in the unique position of working with two Combined Authorities, two Local Skills Improvement Plans and thousands of employers across two distinct regional economies. While this inevitably brings different priorities and approaches, it also reinforces something we see every day: many of the skills challenges facing employers are shared, and so too are the opportunities.
"The continued evolution of devolution has strengthened local decision-making and enabled education providers, employers and regional leaders to work more closely than ever before. It has also challenged organisations like ours to remain agile, responsive and collaborative across geographical boundaries. I see that as a positive. Sharing ideas, responding flexibly to changing economic needs and learning from one another will only strengthen our ability to support learners and employers alike.
Rachel Nicholls co-chaired a Peterborough NEET Roundtable with Andrew Pakes in June 2026. Credit: Peter Oliver
"Delivering the ambitions set out in these plans will also require the capacity to respond. Colleges are expected to adapt quickly to emerging industries, embrace new technologies and develop the workforce our economy needs, and rightly so. However, doing this successfully depends on sustained investment - not only in facilities and equipment, but in the people who make education possible.
"Like many across the further education sector, we continue to experience challenges in recruiting specialist teaching staff in technical disciplines while responding to increasing demand from learners and employers. These are national challenges that require long-term solutions, but they should not distract us from continuing to innovate and invest where we can.
"At Inspire Education Group, we have chosen to do exactly that. Our investment in the Centre for Green Technology at Peterborough College reflects our belief that colleges must anticipate future skills needs rather than simply react to them. Supported by investment from Peterborough City Council, the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority alongside significant investment from the Group itself, the Centre demonstrates what can be achieved when shared ambition is matched by partnership, vision and commitment.
Baroness Taylor of Stevenage cuts the ribbon as IEG launched the Centre for Green Technology in May 2025. From left to right: Sam Carling, David Pennell, Baroness Taylor, Andrew Pakes, Rachel Nicholls, Paul Bristow. Photo: Peter Oliver
"That philosophy runs through our own strategy - ‘Be Bold. Be Brave. Be Exceptional’. We believe delivering the ambitions of the Local Skills Improvement Plans will require all of us to think in those terms. It means being bold enough to invest in new curriculum areas, brave enough to embrace new ways of working and ambitious enough to build exceptional partnerships that genuinely respond to the changing needs of our communities and economy.
"Ultimately, skills are about far more than filling vacancies. They are about creating opportunity.
"We see those opportunities every day through our work with young people, apprentices, higher education students, adult learners, employers and community partners across Peterborough and Lincolnshire. Whether supporting someone into their first apprenticeship, helping an adult learner gain new qualifications, nurturing new pathways, or working with employers to shape curriculum, the common thread is collaboration. No single organisation can deliver the ambitions of the Local Skills Improvement Plans alone, but together we can create a skills system that is more responsive, more inclusive and better equipped for the future.
"The publication of these plans should therefore be seen not as the conclusion of a process, but as the beginning of the next chapter. The foundations have been laid. The priorities are clear. The opportunity now is to maintain the momentum, continue the dialogue and ensure that, together, we turn ambition into lasting impact for learners, employers and communities across our region."
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