Bob Windmill – UK Research Manager

South East STEM Conference 27th April 2010

SSC Intelligence and reports

Current and predicted skills gaps

Labour market forecasts

Sector Skills Agreements addressing STEM issues

Employer perspectives of the STEM skills of potential and existing employees

Key barriers to STEM skills development

Today …………

LMI – More than just research

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Research CommsLMI

20009 Sector Skills Assessments

2006 Sector Skills Agreements

2009 NINJ Cluster reports

Bespoke employer focused research

Alliance Skills Monitor

Alliance led cross SSC SSA review in progress

Key SSC LMI

Aging population and workforce is an issue: a problem for some and an opportunity for others

Increasing use of technology and ICT to improve business performance: a double edged sword

Leadership & Management: Strategic Management, High Performance Management, Management in a recession

Look after the basics as well as the high end: Replacement demand >> expansion demand

STEM supply challenges: keeping the pipeline filled

Key SSC Messages

The talent pool – an aging resource

2009 2022

Source: Office of National Statistics 2008

2009: 834,40020 year olds

2022: 720,200 20 year olds

114,200 less- 13.7%

At a time when 80’s baby boomers

are retiring

Young People and Science

Evidence: 2006 & 2009 SSAs, NSSA, Alliance Skills Monitor

This recession is different: employers are desperate to keep skilled staff

2.5M unemployed but employers citing Skills Shortage Vacancies

Upskill the unemployed? Time to competence a key issue.

Longer term strategy needed: Make STEM ‘kool’

ICT & Technology

Classic employer position: “Technically they are fine but it would be nice if they turned up on time”

My experience: many younger people are hardworking and bright with a great attitude. Don’t tar them all with the same brush

Good managers will build on these qualities to develop first class employees (TFP anybody)

Should we be asking what young people think of their managers?

Employer opinions

Every SSC has an action plan within their 2010 Sector Skills Assessments. Far too many initiatives to list or readily summarise.

Many action plans are becoming Business As Usual

EU Skills example:

Strategic drivers: Employer engagement, Qualifications and skills development pathways, Training provision development

49 programmes across 5 industries

SSC Actions Plans

Any Questions ?