Skills

West London Alliance (WLA) works with stakeholders across the skills system to help residents gain the skills needed for good work.

West London has a population of 2.13m, with 1.43m (67%) of working age. Among residents aged 16–64, around 20% lack a Level 2 qualification (GCSE grade 4), including 6% – about 82,000 people – with no qualifications.

The sub-region has a thriving economy, home to Heathrow, Park Royal, and Wembley. WLA’s skills work focuses on preparing residents to access these opportunities by making it easier to learn, upskill, and secure sustainable employment.

We do this in three ways:

Integration

An image showing a man sitting in an chair using a laptop computer

Connecting fragmented skills and employment systems to help people find courses and gain in-demand skills.

Progression

Making training easier to access and focused on career development.

Growth

Supporting businesses to find talent and build a stronger, sustainable economy.

We deliver a wide range of programmes and partnership initiatives – below are just a few key ones:

No Wrong Door

We are one of four London hubs delivering the GLA-funded No Wrong Door programme (£413k secured for West London). The aim is to fix fragmentation in the skills and employment system, making support easier to find and access.

Workstreams:
• An up-to-date, searchable directory of skills and training.
• Training and networking for professionals.
• Better support for priority groups: under 25s and over 50s.

Through the programme we will achieve:

A system that makes it easier for young people to access quality skills and employment support.

A cohort of front-line advisors who are well-connected, informed, and continuously developing.

A support system that is more effective at helping residents over 50 (back) into the labour market.

Stronger guidance for young people with SEND moving from education to employment.

West London Youth Integration Network

WLA runs the West London Youth Integration Network (YIN), funded by the Greater London Authority’s Youth Guarantee Trailblazer programme (under the DWP National Youth Trailblazer). The YIN aims to strengthen coordination between youth-facing services in West London and to ensure that there is a joined-up local offer for young people, aged 16-24, who are not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) or at risk of becoming NEET.

Youth unemployment is rising faster in London than anywhere else in England. Young people often face complex and fragmented service landscapes. The YIN addresses this by:

– Mapping and coordinating services across employment, education, health, housing, and youth support

– Creating robust referral pathways to skills and employment services

– Promoting best practice to shape future service delivery and policy

YINs are expected to run until at least March 2027. See the 25/26 YIN programme report here.

The Skills and Employment Board

The West London Skills and Employment Board (WLSEB) brings together senior representatives from across the skills ecosystem – including local authorities, training providers, and employers – to help residents and businesses develop the right skills for growth.

The Board oversees the delivery of priorities set out in the London Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) and its West London Annex, and a range of other activities seeking to advance priorities in West London.

Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP)

Launched and funded by the Department for Education in late 2022, LSIPs are an employer-led, data-driven look at the skills needs in a local area. West London’s annex to the London LSIP was published in June 2023 and outlines the skills shortages faced in the local priority sectors and a suite of recommendations on how to begin addressing some of these issues.

Key to this workstream is consistent, sustained engagement with local employers who are a key part of any local skills system.

Supporting businesses and key sectors

West London Business (WLB) is the business leadership forum for North-West London, providing insight, voice, and connections for 100,000+ local businesses.

WLA works closely with WLB to ensure the local skills system is responsive to employer need, and that businesses can find locals with the skills they need. To deliver this, we also work very closely with our College and University partners.

Find out more about our Creating Inclusive Workplaces in West London Network.