The overall aim of the North West Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (NW STEM) projects is to help businesses develop their higher level skills and to provide information about higher education offerings relevant to their business in the STEM industries.
The model is based on the successful award winning NW Higher Level Skills Partnership which enabled the development of new provision which met employer demand. For the purposes of these projects STEM includes physics, chemistry, engineering and maths (including statistics)
European activiity at NWUA includes working with both the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund. NWUA provides technical support
to the North West Operational Programme (NWOP) formerly operated by the Northwest Regional Development Fund (NWDA) and by the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) with effect from the 1st July 2011
via a Technical Assistance project.
The aim of the NW HLSP is to increase demand from employers for higher level skills provision. The North West model is driven by demand and the encouragement of employer investment in skills.
Therefore the model is based on two aspects: brokerage and the development of new provision which meets employer demand. The NW HLSP activity is focused around seven employment sectors, shown as priority sectors for higher level skills in the NW Statement of Skills Priorities.
NWUA has been successful in securing funding from HEFCE to deliver a linked set of key actions to support the engagement of the Higher Education (HE) sector with regional plans to respond to the economic downturn.
The project encompasses a wide range of activities including the collection and dissemination of information on relevant HE activity to regional partners, developing links between HEIs and regional partners and establishing a Higher Level Skills Redundancy Response Fund to support the development of short course provision to those at risk of redundancy or who have been made redundant.
This project, funded by HEFCE, aimed to contribute to the regional legacy of the London 2012 Games by facilitating the development and delivery of higher level sport volunteering and coaching skills to meet the needs of North West sport community partners. This commenced on 1st July 2008 and was completed on 30th September 2010.