Sadiq Khan wants to upskill Outer Londoners for science and AI jobs in city centre

Sadiq Khan has outlined his vision for jobs in the capital as he aims to upskill Outer Londoners for ‘high paid’ technical jobs in the City. The Mayor of London made a pledge on Wednesday morning (April 3) to create 150,000 ‘high quality’ jobs by 2028, working with a Labour government, if one were elected at the next General Election and he won a third term at City Hall.

During a visit to the Francis Crick Institute next to St. Pancras International station, Mr Khan told MyLondon: “The idea is to support people in London to get jobs in those fast moving sectors – fast growing sectors. Life sciences, we’re at the Crick Institute today, AI, climate tech, fin tech, but also the established industries, like creative industries, financial services.”

The mayor added that he would ‘use the levers’ that City Hall has, such as building new homes and working with London and Partners – a business growth and destination agency supported by the mayor – and Grow London – a business growth programme that is also supported by Mr Khan’s office. All would ‘support businesses, helping them grow’.

READ MORE: Sadiq Khan on track to win mayor election in landslide victory

City Hall’s adult education budget would be deployed, Mr Khan added, working with places like the Francis Crick Institute, as well as similar organizations, to make sure Londoners are ‘skilled up for the jobs that are being created’. London and Partners would also take small businesses overseas on ‘trade delegations’, which would ‘help them expand’.

Outer Londoners and ‘underrepresented communities’ targetted

The mayor would focus on ‘unrepresented communities’ with this work, he said. Asked if it would be targeted towards any particular areas of the capital, Mr Khan said: “The ambition is for us to make sure that we get the skills reaching those Londoners who up until now haven’t had access to those.

“They are in Outer London. But also they’re in those underrepresented parts of our city. Think about the financial district, the Square Mile, think about the Knowledge Quarter, this square mile, there are so many opportunities here, I want those in Outer London, those in, you know, deprived parts of our city should should have access to training to get the jobs.”

Asked if he envisaged places like the Francis Crick Institute being built in Outer London, the mayor said: “No, what I envisage is people in the outer boroughs being trained up to have the skills to be able to work in places like, you know, the Knowledge Quarter, where there’s the Crick Institute.

“Many of the smaller businesses will be set up in Outer London, because, obviously, expenses are cheaper.” Mr Khan said that ‘shared workspace’ plans are already underway, and further work will be done with businesses, councils, trade unions and the Government.

The mayor added: “The key takeaway from today for your readers is Rachel Reeves confirming that the next Labour government would reset relations with London. We’ll be working together rather than against each other.”

Plan ‘nothing but sketchy projections’

The Tory candidate for the capital’s mayoralty, Susan Hall, said: “Sadiq Khan’s jobs claims are nothing but sketchy projections, and completely ignores the jobs and businesses he destroyed with his disastrous ULEZ expansion and his failure to support our night economy. For London to succeed, we need a Mayor who listens.

“I will make our streets safe, scrap the ULEZ expansion on day one, and build more family homes that people can afford, because those are the issues that are holding London’s economy back.”

Read our exclusive sit-down interview with Sadiq Khan ahead of the London mayoral election here. Read our full chat with Susan Hall here.

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