Addressing South London’s technical skills needs though new partnership
A new partnership between LSBU Group, Croydon Council and London Gatwick Airport will explore how residents of South London can benefit from future technical career opportunities linked to regional economic growth.
The collaboration, formalised at a signing ceremony at LSBU Croydon on Wednesday 25 February, comes at a time when demand for engineering, construction, digital and airport-related skills is rising sharply across the region.
London Gatwick’s approved £2.2 billion second runway is forecast to create 14,000 new jobs in the years ahead. The airport already supports more than 3,600 Croydon‑linked roles and contributed £265 million to the Borough’s economy in 2023.
Croydon’s Growth Plan emphasises the Borough’s position as one of London’s youngest and fastest‑growing communities, home to 16,000 businesses and a rapidly evolving labour market. The proximity between Croydon and Gatwick, just 14 minutes by rail, further strengthens the potential for residents to access future opportunities.
As part of the partnership, LSBU Group will lead work to expand and align education and training pathways that meet these emerging workforce needs. The three organisations will work together to identify where education and skills development could help local people access these opportunities, including exploring ways to improve access to technical education, work‑based learning and employer‑aligned training.
This includes developing routes into higher‑ and degree‑level technical courses in priority skills areas. National and sector data show that 76% of engineering employers now struggle to recruit for key technical roles, particularly in sustainability, digital engineering and advanced technologies.
For LSBU Group, the partnership reflects the commitments set out in its new strategy, Connecting. The Group aims to reduce barriers between stages of education, create clearer progression routes from school to college to university and grow its employer‑ and skills‑led provision so that Londoners can access opportunities rooted in real labour‑market demand.
Paul Kett, LSBU Group CEO and Vice‑Chancellor, said: “Working alongside employers to deliver pathways into high-quality careers is central to everything that we do at London South Bank University Group. This agreement helps to address technical skills needs, boost economic prosperity and provide opportunities to South London residents.”
Jason Perry, Executive Mayor of Croydon, said: “This collaboration between Croydon Council, London South Bank University and Gatwick, marks an important step forward for our borough. By working together, we are aligning education with real employer demand and creating clear pathways into high-quality jobs in the built environment and engineering sectors. As Croydon’s development pipeline accelerates, this partnership will help ensure local people gain the skills needed to access those opportunities, support businesses to recruit locally, and strengthen our long-term economic resilience.”
Alison Addy, Head of External Engagement and Policy at London Gatwick Airport, added: “London Gatwick's vision is to be the airport for everyone, whatever your journey — not just for our passengers, but for our current and future employees too. This exciting collaboration with LSBU and Croydon Council will enable us to explore how we can connect LSBU students and Croydon residents with opportunities to build the skills required for London Gatwick's future growth."
The three organisations will now begin work on collaborative projects to support residents, small businesses and community partners as Croydon prepares for a new phase of regional economic growth driven by Gatwick and the wider South London economy.