The Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) is a national membership organisation that represents the interests of over 900+ employment & skills organisations. Our members deliver the majority of Britain’s apprenticeships, traineeships and programmes for the unemployed.  AELP lobbies government to represent the interests of its members and has successfully effected changes in skills and employability policy. The NSN works closely with AELP ensuring our network members voices are heard from across the North and we can collaboratively communicate & affect policy change that effects our northern networks and their members.

We’re NCFE: an educational charity and leader in vocational and technical learning. We combine over 170 years of education experience with deep insight, working with a network of expert collaborators to galvanise the technical and vocational education sector around the greatest learning needs and to shape smarter solutions. In doing this, we’re working for a fairer education system for all learners to power inclusivity and choice.

Building a Northern Powerhouse is about boosting the local economy by investing in skills, innovation, transport and culture, as well as devolving significant powers and budgets to directly elected mayors to ensure decisions in the North are made by the North.  The NSN fully support the NPH and align our strategy and business objectives to support their ethos – this includes ensuring our member networks can respond to the Northern priorities for skills, education & employment.

Ofsted’s role is to make sure that organisations providing education, training and care services in England do so to a high standard for children and students.  The NSN work with the Lead Ofsted inspectors across the Northern patch to share latest updates, changes to inspection policy and ensure our network members can respond to and improve the changing quality landscape across the FE & skills sector.

A combined authority (CA) is a legal body set up using national legislation that enables a group of two or more councils to collaborate and take collective decisions across council boundaries. It is far more robust than an informal partnership or even a joint committee. The creation of a CA means that member councils can be more ambitious in their joint working and can take advantage of powers and resources devolved to them from national government. While established by Parliament, CAs are locally owned and have to be initiated and supported by the councils involved.  There are 4 MCA’s across the North with elected mayors and devolution in place or approaching in the coming year and a further 2 combined authorities with no mayor in place currently and devolution planned for the next 2 years.  The NSN works with the MCA’s to ensure their key messages are understood by the member networks and the training organisations they represent can support local priorities and skills needs for devolution in preparation for devolved funding in the future.

The NPP will help develop consensus among businesses, civic leaders and others about how the north of England can be more successful.  The focus will be on encouraging cities and counties to work together to create a northern powerhouse. By producing original research, encouraging innovative thinking and hosting thought-provoking events, the NPP will encourage new policy ideas which will improve the north’s quality of life and economy, and promote it as a place to work, study, live and invest.  The NSN support the NPP and the NPH partners programme by sharing news, successes and support for the Northern way and ensuring investment in skills and apprenticeships is a top priority for businesses and Government across the North.