I am absolutely passionate about making sure the people of Buckinghamshire have the opportunity to thrive, writes Steven Broadbent leader of Buckinghamshire Council.

So often, this is directly linked to education, skills and creating the right conditions locally for our residents to make the most of these opportunities.

It goes beyond the individual too. Improving access to skills and employment is also central to Buckinghamshire’s future prosperity. It supports local business – by tailoring provision directly to the needs of local employers.

I can’t change the national economic picture which has seen both youth unemployment and cost to business of hiring staff rise, making it much harder for people seeking work and those providing it. However, by prioritising skills and employment we can tackle these challenges head on here in Buckinghamshire and that’s what we are doing.

In recent weeks we have secured a deal with the government that devolves £6 million of Adult Skills Funding directly to the council. Having control of this funding we can focus investment where it matters most. Critically, it also means we can continue to develop local skills programmes that are achieving such fantastic results for our residents. Last year we supported more than 400 people through our Skills Bootcamp programme with 70% of participants progressing into work, upskilling, reskilling or moving into self-employment.

Adult skills don’t begin or end at age 19, they are built and rebuilt throughout life. That’s why our local programmes focus on opportunity, progression and confidence, not just qualifications.

Put simply – this is working. We know residents who participate in these programmes are transforming their lives, moving very quickly from unemployment to gaining skills and valuable, secure jobs in a short space of time. Overall, we are supporting more than 5,000 residents annually. This is direct, positive impact on people’s lives, and life in our county.

We have also proudly launched our Connect to Work programme. This is how we are using our allocation of national funding to support people who face more complex challenges in finding work or staying in a job. This programme recognises that people start from different places, move in and out of work, and often juggle caring responsibilities, and health challenges.

I urge readers to take a look at our website - buckinghamshire.gov.uk - and search under ‘skills’ to see what’s out there and to find out more about these programmes. I’m really proud of this work, through which we are building a stronger, more resilient Buckinghamshire – a place of opportunity where everyone can thrive.