Local projects for new skills in our communities

With place-based investments central to delivering our purpose, we funded targeted social value projects proposed and led by our people around the UK.

Our regional commitment

While broad economic trends such as the rising cost of living are having an impact right across the country, there remains huge disparity between UK regions. The Demos-PwC Good Growth for Cities report shows how social and economic outcomes can vary considerably depending on local factors - such as which sectors predominate and the availability of the skills they require, levels of productivity, local resources, and people’s health and spending power. 

As a firm with a strong regional presence - half of our people are based outside London - it's a priority for us to respond to the different needs of the communities in which we and our clients are based, such as local employment and social mobility challenges.

The Cardiff data challenge

In our continued commitment to Cardiff, for example, where we’ve doubled our workforce in 18 months and are creating hundreds of digital jobs, we are partnering with local authorities, universities and schools to create the skills required in the region. 

So when our client, the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal, identified a need to understand industry and public sector requirements for data skills, our team came up with a plan to help grow these locally. A project is now under way to bring local groups from across sectors together to research the data skills needed and identify potential interventions.

Our workshops for public and private sector employers gave a fuller understanding of their challenges in recruiting data professionals, and generated ideas towards the development of the region as a hub for technology and data.

This is all aligned to our purpose - supporting digital and tech skills in South Wales will create economic growth and improve social mobility.

Delivering social value

In addition to our central Community Engagement programmes, our teams have been developing opportunities to use their skills to create social, economic or environmental benefits in other parts of the UK.

In Belfast, for example, a team received funding to work with the Mary Peters Trust to help young athletes gain new skills to help their future careers beyond their sporting years. With our experience as a major recruiter in the city and the involvement of a number of sporting stars who now work at our Merchant Square office, we’ve helped the Trust plan and begin skills workshops to open doors to employment.

And another example is in London, where we are working collaboratively with the London Borough of Barnet and several other local authorities to support the progression of their internal audit apprentices, to promote social mobility and local employment. We’ve introduced an annual event of masterclasses, held in our offices and delivered by our experts, covering technical and leadership skills, and the opportunity of one-to-one mentoring over a year.