About the sector task groups
The task groups are the ‘engine rooms’ of Skills & Employment East Sussex, working as partnerships to deliver activities that address employability and skills challenges. The groups each set a strategic plan annually in September to drive forward partnership activities. Everything from careers campaigns, to new or adapted curriculum, recruitment and retention opportunities to upskilling and profile raising and everything in between.
The task groups allow members to collaborate on the planning of future skills and employment strategies for East Sussex. This ensures that local needs for each sector are being prioritised.
Task Group priority sectors
The task groups address the skills, training and employment priorities in each of the following sectors:
- Construction and built environment
- Creative, cultural, digital and media
- Engineering and manufacturing
- Health and social care
- Visitor economy
- Land and Agricultural
The task groups are coordinated and managed by the Skills & Employment East Sussex team and meet 4 times a year. Meetings are a mix of online and in-person.
Membership of the skills sector task groups
Membership of the task groups
The industry task groups are employer led.
Members of the skills sector task groups include:
- Local employers and representative organisations
- Members of the Skills East Sussex team, including the Careers Hub
- Colleges and universities
- Independent training providers
- Department for Work & Pensions (DWP)/Job Centre
- National sector bodies/representative organisations
We are happy to welcome new members, especially local employers and those working in the county, as well as business representative organisations. Please email Skills & Employment East Sussex to find out more about what we do and to join.
Construction and Built Environment Task Group
Construction and the built environment is a significant industry in East Sussex. With many small businesses and sole traders, jobs are 46% above the national average for the working population.
The Construction Task Group meets quarterly to champion employability and skills for this sector and coordinate activities and support the strategic priorities of Skills & Employment East Sussex. Built environment is also represented in this group.
The group sets a strategic plan annually in September, to drive forward partnership activities.
The group includes local employers such as:
- GM Monk
- Cheesmur Building Contractors Ltd
- OHM Energy
- Hawes Building Contractors
Other members include national construction employers, especially when they have building contracts in East Sussex, such as
- Morgan Sindall
- Balfour Beatty
- Jacobs
- Wilmott Dixon
- Volker Fitzpatrick
Education and training representatives and other stakeholders include:
- East Sussex College Group
- Construction Industry Training Board (CITB)
- University of Brighton
- Employment and skills departments of the local authorities.
- DWP Job Centre
The task group is chaired by Scott Monk of GM Monk Ltd, an electrical contractor company.
Chair Scott Monk, Director of GM Monk Ltd
The task group is vital to ensure the current and future challenges of skills and training in construction are represented at a local level for employers, training providers and other agencies. By working together, the task group has become stronger in identifying these needs and working to overcome the challenges. One of the main reasons I enjoy chairing this group is the communication, sharing of best practice and ideas the different employers in Construction bring to the table to assist training providers and the local councils/other agencies with their future training and skills development plans.
2025/26 Strategic Plan activities
| Partnership activities | |
|---|---|
| 1. Raise profile of careers in the sector (young people, job seekers, returners – note parents as key), including diversity | National bodies - use and share their resources, access support and expertise of CITB, NFRC and others, where appropriate. |
| Utilise Careers Hub opportunities e.g. open doors, CPD, work experience. | |
| Attend events and careers fairs, e.g. Big Futures. | |
| Produce job pathway videos and posters to promote the sector. | |
| Oversight and delivery of activities in the Retrofit Skills Plan phase 2 action plan (including profile raising activities with schools and others, and free courses for the sector. | |
| Mapping project to identify sizeable development sites (commercial and residential) across the county, with the aim of being able to engage early in employment and skills/Section 106 conversations with developers and operators. | |
| Showcase 'back office' roles (e.g. surveyor, etc.) to widen the appeal of construction. Initiative could include links to Careers Leaders CPD. | |
| 2. Help industry to engage with education/ training provision to inform curriculum/ respond to industry need | Develop and deliver pilot industry-led after school club in Eastbourne. |
| Increase employer/education engagement opportunities, through the Careers Hub, Job Centre and other providers. | |
| Deliver Modern Work Experience pilot open doors - showcasing linked pathway on different roles in construction. | |
| Publicise T Level work experience as an opportunity for students to try the sector. | |
| 3. Curriculum and Training Programmes | Develop a roofing apprenticeship programme for delivery in East Sussex via East Sussex College, looking at opportunities for Skills Bootcamps and bitesized training. |
| Support the delivery of Skills Bootcamps, particularly those related to construction - providing intelligence, opportunities and support. Utilising networks to promote the programme. | |
| Look at opportunities for learning/training on AI in construction for the sector. | |
| 4. Widening the net of recruitment | Support the delivery of the Connect to Work programme, providing opportunities and support for those looking for employment. |
| CITB Industry Impact Fund bid to support widening the net focus. | |
| Support opportunities for Connect to Work as a pathway into apprenticeships. | |
| Increase the number of construction companies (e.g. modular builders) engaging with the task group, Careers Hub, Connect to Work, Skills Bootcamps, and other services. | |
| Ensure those on Sussex frameworks are invited to the task group. |
Construction Task Group meetings
Contact Skills & Employment East Sussex if you are a sector employer, training or education provider and want details. Other than your time, and occasional travel, there are no costs to joining Skills East Sussex meetings.
The next meeting of the group is on 5 March 2026.
We use an action tracker instead of traditional minutes. The action tracker includes ongoing actions, decisions, the task groups strategic plan, and attendees/apologies.
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Construction TG action tracker November 2025 [420.1 KB] [XLSX]
Construction TG action tracker November 2025
If you have difficulties viewing or accessing these documents, or require the information in a different format please contact the Skills & Employment East Sussex Team.
Task group achievements
- Developed a bid and coordinated a partnership Retrofit strategy and activities via funding secured from DESNZ and Public Health. Offering free retrofit training and resources for construction businesses, council officers, housing associations and job centres, careers campaign in schools, recruitment of tutors and new Level 3 training.
- Development of a Tutor Encounters event for the construction and engineering/ advanced manufacturing sectors - delivered in July 2023, enabling schools careers leads, teachers and college tutors to better understand the future needs of the sector and network with businesses through workshops, practical demonstrations and learning sessions.
- Job role videos created showcasing construction roles on the East Sussex Careers Hub website
- Delivery of a ‘design a flyer’ competition with 16 – 18 students to promote apprenticeships in construction to the sector
- Endorsement of a University of Brighton bid. The bid secured £100K for development of degree level construction apprenticeships.
- Key work with Sussex Council of Training Providers (SCTP) to support engagement between business and education. This informed co-design of the curriculum and recruitment of tutors from industry
- Representing the construction sector at careers/apprenticeships event annually, including the East Sussex Apprenticeship Graduation ceremonies, Big Futures and East Sussex Apprenticeship Roadshows.
- Supporting the Primary and Secondary Careers Hubs through the Enterprise Adviser Network, Industry Champions and Open Doors workplace visit programme. Read more about the Careers Hub
Creative, Cultural, Digital and Media Task Group
East Sussex is a growing hub for these sectors, with several clusters across the county. The Task Group meets quarterly to champion employability and skills and coordinate activities and support the strategic priorities of Skills & Employment East Sussex. The group sets a strategic plan annually in September, to drive forward partnership activities.
The Group includes representatives from local employers, these include
- De La Warr Pavilion
- Technative
- Glyndebourne
- Bark Web Ltd
- Chalk Eastbourne/Switchplane
- Spunglass Theatre
There are also representatives from education and training and other stakeholders including:
- East Sussex College Group
- Culture Shift
- University of Brighton
- Sussex Council of Training Providers (SCTP)
- DWP Job centres
The Group is jointly chaired by Kim Byford, Project Director, Talent Accelerator programme (Del La Warr Pavilion) and Sally Staples, Cultural Strategy Manager of East Sussex County Council.
Co-Chair Kim Byford, Project Director, Talent Accelerator (De La Warr Pavilion)
I am part of the task group as I think it is essential to bring together people from industry, education, support services and county council to support our thriving creative and cultural industries now and into the future.
Co-Chair Sally Staples, Cultural Strategy Manager East Sussex County Council
The cultural sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in the UK economy. The skills agenda is a complex one and through my role as Co-Chair I value the opportunity to bring together the work of Culture East Sussex (the cultural sectoral group of Team East Sussex) and the amazing work of Skills East Sussex
2025/26 Strategic Plan activities
| Partnership activities | |
|---|---|
| 1. Raise the profile of the sector | Utilising national bodies - use and share their resources, access support and expertise (e.g. DCMS, Arts Council England). |
| Deliver a joint job pathway filming project with Talent Accelerator / Coastal programme focussing on showcasing roles and pathways within different creative and cultural settings. | |
| Deliver Year 2 of the Digital Future programme, a digital school competition with industry mentor support and Transform dedicated support. | |
| Utilise National days as profile raining opportunity e.g. Creative Careers month | |
| Promote Apprenticeship Roadshow and Graduation to the sector, as well as other careers | |
| Support the delivery and development of the Charlestone project | |
| 2. Help industry to engage with education | Look at mechanisms to accredit enrichment opportunities |
| Increase employer engagement with employment and skills teams activities, including the task group | |
| Utilise Hasting's involvement with the International Film Festival to raise the profile of skills and training for the sector | |
| Develop pilot open doors programme by using larger venues to host freelancers/self-employed as an open door or careers activity event | |
| Use Modern Work Experience as a mechanism to promote a range of engagement opportunities to the sector | |
| Look at introducing a pilot after school club, building on the success of other task groups | |
| 3. Curriculum and training programmes | Support delivery of Skills Bootcamp programme, particularly those related to the sector, providing knowledge, opportunities and support. Utilising the network to promote the programme. |
| Understand entry points to the sector and identifying gaps or challenges that need addressing | |
| Look at provision to support people in becoming a freelancer/self-employed | |
| Artswork Breakthrough Traineeships | |
| Utilise VR and Immersive Technology to support learning, skills and training opportunities | |
|
4. Widening the net of recruitment |
Support delivery of the Connect to Work programme by providing opportunities for those looking to work and promoting to network |
| Utilise the Coastal Catalyst programme as a pilot approach for skills development in the sector | |
| Develop shared work experience programme to address capacity challenges in the sector | |
| Consider opportunities for using digital badges for employers and those who engage in careers/learning provision |
Creative and Digital Task Group meetings
Contact Skills & Employment East Sussex if you are a sector employer, training or education provider and want details. Other than your time, and occasional travel, there are no costs to joining Skills & Employment East Sussex meetings.
The next meeting of the group is on 17 March 2026.
We use an action tracker instead of traditional minutes. The action tracker includes ongoing actions, decisions, the task groups strategic plan, and attendees/apologies.
Creative, Cultural, Digital and Media Task Group Action Tracker [618.8 KB] [xlsx]
If you have difficulties viewing or accessing these documents, or require the information in a different format please contact the Skills & Employment East Sussex Team.
Task Group achievements
- Supported the development of a Tutor Encounters event for the sector building on the successful 2023 construction sector event. Offered careers and subject leads from schools and colleges to upskill so they can gain knowledge on a particular sector to help better advise and inform young people, as well as develop relationships with professionals in the sector.
- Secured £200,000 funding for the Talent Accelerator programme, led by the De La Warr Pavilion. Talent Accelerator is about creating a strategic step-change in creative and digital sector skills, careers and project-based learning. It is developing a more joined-up infrastructure between industry and education. This includes work experience, and a range of employer encounters such as careers workshops, events and assemblies. Further funding has been secured through the Coastal Catalyst project.
- Secured Ingenious funding which enabled Culture Shift project to deliver a project with Bexhill college, as well as taking on a digital marketing apprentice.
- East Sussex Library Service and the County Council's Employment and Skills Team successfully carried out an European Social Fund (ESF) tablet loaning scheme. It helped 40 ESF participants from Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings and Wealden during the pandemic lockdowns. TechResort highlighted need for more donations of hardware to repurpose and loan out.
- Representatives from the task group worked with the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) Digital Skills Partnership. The partnership comprised stakeholders from across the South East to increase awareness and access to digital skills training across the region.
- Introduced job role videos on the Careers East Sussex website, including programmers and software developers, marketing professionals and copywriters and cyber security officers.
Engineering and Manufacturing Task Group
East Sussex is a centre for engineering and manufacturing, with a wide range of size and variety of type. The county is known for its specialism in vacuum engineering with clusters of activity in Hastings and Eastbourne.
The Task Group meets quarterly to champion employability and skills and coordinate activities and support the to address the strategic priorities of Skills & Employment East Sussex for these sectors. The group sets a strategic plan annually in September, to drive forward partnership activities.
The Task Group includes representatives from local employers, these include
- Kurt J Lesker
- Marshall Tufflex
- General Dynamics
- Edwards Vacuum
- Interface Precision Engineering Ltd
- Focus SB
- Photek
There are also representatives from education and training and other stakeholders including
- East Sussex College Group (ESCG)
- Bexhill College
- University of Brighton.
- University of Sussex
- Sussex Council of Training Providers (SCTP)
- DWP Job Centre
- Institute of Directors
- National body support (including Royal Academy of Engineering, Engineering UK, Society of Operational Engineers)
The task group is chaired by Dan Wahnon of Marshall-Tufflex.
Chair Dan Wahnon, Operations Manager Marshall-Tufflex
As the Operations Manager at Marshall Tufflex, a British manufacturer of cable management solutions, I'm committed to ensuring that engineering and manufacturing sectors in East Sussex thrive with a skilled, work-ready talent pool. Chairing the Engineering and Manufacturing Task Group enables us to shape career pathways, influence curricula to meet industry demands, and strengthen ties between education providers and employers. Our efforts support not only young people's future in this sector but also the continuous professional development of educators, ensuring our workforce remains adaptable and innovative.
2025/26 Strategic Plan activities
| Partnership activities | |
|---|---|
| 1. Raise the profile of the sector | Work with national bodies - use and share their resources, access support and expertise, e.g. STEM Returners. |
| Submit a bid to RAEG for a year long careers campaign to encourage curiosity within the sector, increase the flow of job applicants and increase the profile of the types of jobs available in the county. | |
| Increasing the number of role models (particularly females and marginalised groups) from the sector as Industry Champions or engaged with the Task Group. | |
| Develop approach on the rebranding or changing perception of the sector, through careers hub campaign and other marketing tools. | |
| Promote sector careers to Key Stage 3, including progression pathways of careers. | |
| Develop job pathway video, poster and infographic for 'operative' role within the industry, recognising evolving skills due to AI/automation. | |
| 2. Help industry to engage with education | Continue legacy of the Engineering after-school club - promoting 1 and 2 week lessons as well as 6-week provision. |
| Continue to support and develop joint open doors opportunities where businesses are in close proximity. | |
| 3. Curriculum and Training Programme | Support delivery of Skills Bootcamp programme particularly those related to Engineering and Manufacturing - providing knowledge, opportunities, support and utilise networks to promote the programme. |
| 4. Widening the net of recruitment | Engage with the ESCC Transport team to highlight impact of travel challenges on access to work / input and influence Transport strategy and plans. |
| Support employers through the Transform service to increase the number of apprenticeships. | |
| Support delivery of the Connect to Work programme. Providing opportunities and support to the unemployed and employers. Utilising the network to promote the programme. | |
| Upskill businesses to support new and current members of staff. | |
| Making sure employment support and education providers are aware of general employment entry requirements for the sector. |
Engineering Task Group meetings
Contact Skills & Employment East Sussex if you are a sector employer, training or education provider and want details. Other than your time, and occasional travel, there are no costs to joining Skills East Sussex meetings.
The next meeting of the group is on 12 March 2026.
We use an action tracker instead of traditional minutes. The action tracker includes ongoing actions, decisions, the task groups strategic plan, and attendees/apologies.
Manufacturing & Engineering Task Group Meeting Activity & Decision Tracker 2024.2025 [258.5 KB] [xlsx]
If you have difficulties viewing or accessing these documents, or require the information in a different format please contact the Skills & Employment East Sussex Team.
Task group achievements
- Piloted a new ‘strategic plan on a page’ approach for the task groups, engaging national sector bodies to offer expertise and resources and insight and ongoing support for the group.
- Successfully awarded funding from the Royal Academy of Engineers Ingenious Awards programme for a pilot Engineering After School Club in Hastings during 2025. The learning of which is hoped to act as a blueprint for roll it our wider and into other sectors.
- Supported development and delivery of Engineering and Construction Tutor Encounters Day, a CPD knowledge and upskilling event for tutors on a specific sector. It is an opportunity to hear from employers, make connections, and inspire their students to consider a career in the sectors.
- Development of a new CNC (Computer Numerical Controlled) course with East Sussex College, Hastings.
- Introduced job roles videos on the Careers East Sussex website, including CNC machinist and heat pump engineer, with more planned.
- Culture Shift led a project called ‘Your Town’. The project was funded through the Royal Academy of Engineering Ingenious Fund. This allowed young people aged 11 to 18 in Hastings, Eastbourne and Newhaven to meet with engineers and find out more about what they do.
Health and Social Care Task Group
The Task group is the only one of the groups to operate Pan-Sussex across East and West Sussex and Brighton and Hove, reflecting the make-up of the NHS across the region.
The Health and Social Care sector is large and wide-ranging with over 350 job roles. Pan Sussex the sector is facing major challenges in recruitment and retention in some areas such as care, adult social care and allied roles including midwifery and nursing. Alongside this digital technology is changing the face of healthcare, creating efficiencies, changes to processes as well as requirement for a digitally skilled workforce to meeting these changes.
The group includes representatives from local employers and national bodies this includes:
- Skills for Care
- NHS England – South East
- NHS Sussex
- Adult Social Care from East and West Sussex and Brighton and Hove Councils
- Community Pharmacy
- East Sussex NHS Healthcare Trust
- East Sussex Integrated Care Board
There are also representatives from education and training and other stakeholders including:
- East Sussex College Group
- University of Brighton
- Sussex Council of Training Providers (SCTP)
- DWP Job centres
- Reed in Partnership
- Spear Hastings
The task group is chaired by Kathy Martyn of University of Brighton.
Chair Kathy Martyn, Principal Lecturer Nutrition University of Brighton
Quote coming soon
2025/26 Strategic Plan activities
| Partnership activities | |
|---|---|
| 1. Raise the profile of the sector | Engaging with national and regional bodies. Using and sharing their resources, access support and expertise (e.g. NHS, Skills for Care, ESHT). |
| Utilise the ESPIC Annual Care Awards (and any other appropriate awards) as a mechanism for profile raising in the sector. | |
| Promote health and social care recruitment hub campaign resources to encourage curiosity and interest in the sector. Increase the number of role models from the sector as Industry Champions, and by offering encounters such as Open Doors. | |
| Work with Skills for Care and the emerging Carers Careers Plan to support activities within it. | |
| 2. Help industry to engage with education | Map routes and levels into health and social care. |
| Work in partnership via the Careers Hub on year 2 of the Aspirations Project, raising the profile of health and social care careers amongst primary school pupils in Hastings and Rother. | |
| Work in partnership with Skills for Care on the Sussex Carers Careers Plan. | |
| Build real world opportunities for teaching staff (e.g. Open Doors) and students through meaningful placements and experiences in the sector. | |
| Support the government's new Modern Work Experience, live from September 2026. | |
| 3. Curriculum and Training programmes | Support the delivery of Skills Bootcamp programme, particularly those related to Health and Social Care. Providing knowledge, opportunities, support and networks to promote the programme. |
| Keep a watching brief on the new apprenticeships and skills levy and its impact for the sector. | |
| Support care providers to access the LDSS funding for staff development. | |
| Consider opportunities for introducing a new Allied Healthcare degree via the University of Brighton as part of the pathway into job roles. | |
| Look at opportunities for a leader in adult care apprenticeship or training. | |
| Consider opportunity for Sussex digital care skills passport. | |
| 4. Widening the net of recruitment | Support the delivery of the Connect to Work programme, providing opportunities and support to participants. |
| Promote the Health and Social Care foundation apprenticeship as an entry route into the sector for young people. | |
| Support those in drug and alcohol treatment programmes into employment, utilising resources available, such as Connect to Work. |
Health and Social Care Task Group meetings
Contact Skills & Employment East Sussex if you are a sector employer, training or education provider and want details. Other than your time, and occasional travel, there are no costs to joining Skills East Sussex meetings.
The next meeting of the group is on 24 February 2026.
We use an action tracker instead of traditional minutes. The action tracker includes ongoing actions, decisions, the task groups strategic plan, and attendees/apologies.
2025 26 Health & Social Care Task Group Meeting Activity Decision Tracker [219.3 KB] [xlsx]
If you have difficulties viewing or accessing these documents, or require the information in a different format please contact the Skills & Employment East Sussex Team.
Task Group achievements
- East Sussex College Group (ESCG) responded to demand in developing an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) course specifically for workers in health and care.
- Supported development and delivery of a Health and Social Care Teachers Encounters day, enabling curriculum teacher and careers leads to link with local businesses through facilitated workshop to increase their knowledge and embed this knowledge through the curriculum and careers provision.
- Set up a Task Group subgroup focussed on Pharmacy to address recruitment challenges and to support the community sector to navigate the apprenticeship process. Recruitment for 2024 has increased and on an ongoing relationship developed with community and pharmacy and NHS England.
- A joint presentation was given by the universities of Brighton and Chichester on Nursing Associate programmes. A task group sub-group worked with providers on making these courses more attractive and accessible, particularly to those with level 2 maths and English but not GCSEs.
Visitor Economy Task Group
The Visitor Economy is a key sector in East Sussex accounting for more than a third of the jobs in some areas. It is wide ranging, with member cross overs with the creative and digital task group. The sector is facing challenges from covid and the cost of living crisis over and above employability and skills challenges associated with the sector (perceptions, seasonality etc).
The Task Group meets quarterly to champion employability and skills and coordinate activities and support the to address the strategic priorities of Skills & Employment East Sussex for these sectors. The group sets a strategic plan annually in September, to drive forward partnership activities.
The Task Group comprises includes representatives from local employers and representative organisations such as:
- The Lansdowne Hotel
- Visit 1066 Country Marketing
- Eastbourne Hospitality Association
- Experience Sussex
- The Beacon
- De La Warr Pavilion
- Eastbourne Chamber
There are also representative from education and training and other stakeholders including
- East Sussex College Group
- Bexhill College
- DWP Job Centre
- Visit England
- Sussex Council of Training Providers (SCTP)
- Councillors with Lead responsibility for visitor economy/tourism
Chair of Visitor Economy Task Group, Julie Barker, MIoD, FIH, PGcert
Supporting the Visitor Economy sector within East Sussex, helping shape future skills and employment needs of the region, encouraging all ages and skills to see the scope and potential of a lifelong career within the hospitality industry is an honour and a privilege
2025/26 Strategic Plan activities
| Partnership activities | |
|---|---|
| 1. Raise the profile of the sector | Access the resource and expertise of national sector bodies to support activities/raise the profile of the sector at a national level. |
| Develop hospitality projects within schools and for recruitment initiatives. | |
| Encourage sector participation at the Careers Hub careers fairs, Apprenticeship Roadshows and Graduation ceremony. | |
| Development of a school assembly programme focussed on the Visitor Economy, showcasing the sector. | |
| Use Experience Sussex as a lobbying mechanism to feed into DCMS/Visit England Skills and Workforce Task Group. | |
| 2. Help industry to engage with education and training provision to inform curriculum / respond to industry need | Work with Experience Sussex to increase sector engagement with Careers Hub opportunities (such as industry champions, open doors, modern work experience). |
| Continue one-to-one engagement with the sector to encourage engagement with Employment and Skills Team programmes. | |
| Explore how we bridge the gap left by ASK (apprenticeship-focussed assemblies and workshops in schools and colleges). | |
| 3. Curriculum and Training Programmes | Pilot Hospitality Skills Passport through Catering Skills Bootcamp provision in partnership with East Sussex College and UK Hospitality, and roll out as industry standard digital competency 'badge' across East Sussex. |
| Map best practice, local and national partnerships, and share these as a resource. | |
| Support of delivery of Skills Bootcamp programme, particularly those related to the Visitor Economy - providing knowledge, opportunities and support, and utilising networks to promote the programme. | |
| Scope out opportunity for the delivery of bitesize training to support businesses in the implementation of the new Protection of Premises Act (e.g. immersive technology). | |
| 4. Widening the net of recruitment | Promoting employer support programmes such as Connect to Work and Skills Bootcamps to the sector. |
| Support delivery of the Connect to Work programme, providing opportunities and support to participants and employers. | |
| Engage with recruitment agencies as a route into employment for the sector. |
Visitor Economy Task Group meetings
Contact Skills & Employment East Sussex if you are a sector employer, training or education provider and want details. Other than your time, and occasional travel, there are no costs to joining Skills East Sussex meetings.
The next meeting of the group is on 12 February 2026.
We use an action tracker instead of traditional minutes. The action tracker includes ongoing actions, decisions, the task groups strategic plan, and attendees/apologies.
Visitor Economy Task Group Meeting Activity & Decision Tracker 2025 [256.9 KB] [xlsx]
If you have difficulties viewing or accessing these documents, or require the information in a different format please contact the Skills & Employment East Sussex Team.
Task group achievements
- ‘Hospitality Rocks’ project saw the DWP and East Sussex College partner through the task group on a social media campaign and Sector Based Work Academies (SWAPs) to drive up recruitment by inviting job seekers to try out cocktail-making or barista, then enrolling them on to a short course with guaranteed vacancies. This was so successful that it was then rolled out by the DWP/job centres to other parts of the country in 2022/23.
- The Transform service provides support for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) with workforce development, specialist advice on skills training and apprenticeships, including access to government-funded training and ESCC apprenticeship levy transfer to fund training. Since November 2020, Transform has supported 37 Visitor Economy businesses.
- Careers Hub has 11 active Industry Champions from the visitor economy and 8 businesses that offer Open Doors workplace visits to groups of students.
- Hospitality Roundtable event was held at the De La Warr Pavilion in jointly hosted by East Sussex and Rother District Council to raise the profile and look at activities to address challenges in the sector.
- For the East Sussex Careers Campaign the task group agreed to promote the following roles: Chef, Hotel and restaurant managers
- Job role career pathway videos and infographics have been created on the Careers East Sussex local industry pages for chef and event manager jobs.
- Supported the establishment of the View Hotel in Eastbourne as a 'Hotel of Excellence'. The View will provide long-term placements for students at the University of Brighton. They also provided up to five 50-day placements for East Sussex College group students as part of their new T-level provision.
- Cross county sector workshop to look at and consider actions which existed cross county for the sector.