west midlands regional skills assessment 2009: key findings - skills for tomorrow
DESCRIPTION
Key findings from the West Midlands Regional Skills Assessment 2009 delivered to a workshop at the the West Midlands Regional Observatory's Annual Conference in Sutton Coldfield, 20th October 2009. The Assessment covers historical trends, current skills needs and future priorities. This was a joint pesentation by Pat Jackson, Director of the West Midlands Regional Skills Partnership, and Andy Phillips, Head of Skills Research at the Observatory.TRANSCRIPT
West Midlands Regional Observatory 2009
Regional Skills Assessment 2009 Key findings – skills for tomorrow
Observatory Conference20th October 2009
West Midlands Regional Observatory 2009
What is the Skills Assessment?
Produced annually since 2005
To inform a range of policy makers:• Business support• Commissioners of learning and skills• Skills providers• Providers of careers information, advice and guidance• Local authorities producing local economic assessments
West Midlands Regional Observatory 2009
What this year’s Assessment covers
• Historical trends (general direction of travel):• Key growth sectors and clusters• Demographics: the changing supply of skills by age, gender
and ethnicity• Geographies: ‘hot spots’ of employment growth
• Current skills needs:• Skill gaps and shortages• Impact of recession• Business Link, JCP and Sector Skills Council data
• Future priorities:• Regional Economic Strategy – innovation, enterprise,
inward investment• Regional Funding Advice• New Industry• Cluster and Sector Skills Council data• Evaluation evidence – impact and value for money
West Midlands Regional Observatory 2009
Discussion
Does the evidence address all the key issues and questions?
Are there important gaps in knowledge?
Where does the evidence base need to be strengthened?
Job growth in the last 4 years
Source: ABI
Low HighShare of employment in 2007
Em
plo
ym
en
t g
row
th 2
003-2
007
Low
High
Emerging sectors and clusters
ICT & telecoms and ICT clusterHotels & catering and tourism & leisure
clusterConstruction and building technologies
clusterEducation
Education & entertainment media cluster
Environmental technologies clusterMedical technologies cluster
Drivers of employment growth
Business and Professional ServicesHealth and Social Care
Declining in employment terms – but market opportunities in
specific areas
Engineering and transport technologies cluster
Other Manufacturing and lifestyle & interiors cluster
Food & drink
Workforce profile by cluster and age in 2008
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Tourism & Leisure
ICT
Environmental Technologies
Medical Technologies
Building Technologies
Food & Drink
Specialist Business Services
Transport Technologies
Education & Entertainment Media
Lifestyle & Interiors
Proportion of the workforce
Source: ONS Annual Population Survey
Employment change in West Midlands by LA: 2003-2007
-10% -5% 0% 5% 10% 15%
Stoke-on-Trent
Solihull
Dudley
Shropshire
Birmingham
Coventry
Staffordshire
Sandwell
Worcestershire
Walsall
Wolverhampton
Herefordshire
Warwickshire
Telford & Wrekin
Percentage point employment change
Source: ABI
West Midlands
Skills-shortage vacancies by sector
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
Public administration
Electricity, gas and water
Wholesale & retail
Business and Professional services
Education
Health & Social Care
Hotels & Catering
ICT and telecommunications
Miscellaneous services
Transport
Other Manufacturing
Engineering
Construction
Agriculture
Proportion of staff
England averageWest Midlands average
Source: LSC National Employer Skills Survey 2007
Percentage difference in vacancies notified to Job Centres by sector, June 2008 – June 2009
-80% -60% -40% -20% 0% 20% 40% 60%
Construction
Banking, finance and insurance
Other services
Manufacturing
Distribution, hotels and restaurants
Engineering
Transport and communications
Public administration
Energy and water
Agriculture and fishing
Health and Social Care
Education
Percentage change
Source: NOMIS (JCP)
SMEs using the Train to Gain service (Cumulative totals)
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
16000
Q1 2008
Q2 2008
Q3 2008
Q4 2008
Q1 2009
Q2 2009
Q3 2009
Q4 2009
Q1 2010
Q2 2010
Q3 2010
Q4 2010
Q1 2011
Q2 2011
Q3 2011
Q4 2011
Actual
Target
Source: Business Link West Midlands/ LSC
West Midlands Regional Observatory 2009
Key drivers of future skills change
Exploiting new technology:• To drive up productivity• To exploit new markets
Legislation relating to low carbon and sustainability issues:• Leading to new ways of working• Creating new market opportunities
The demands of an ageing population:• For healthcare services• For new medical technologies• For financial services
More demanding consumers:• Higher quality• Better customer service
West Midlands Regional Observatory 2009
Emerging skill needs
Higher level (often graduate and post graduate level) sector and business specific technical skills
A wide range of generic/transferable skills:• Leadership & management• Business skills to exploit market opportunities• Keeping up to date with market developments• ICT skills to exploit the potential of new technology• Inter-personal skills such as communication and working
in teams• Problem solving skills• Customer service
West Midlands Regional Observatory 2009
Where in the region will these skills be needed?
Impact Investment locations• Birmingham – New St Station, Eastside• Solihull – BIA, North Solihull• Ansty Park in Coventry• Black Country – Bilston, Dudley, West Bromwich, Walsall
and Wolverhampton town centres• Staffordshire – i54, Stafford town centre and Stoke city
centre• Edgar St Grid in Herefordshire• Telford town centre in Shropshire
Key locations for attracting inward investment:• Solihull• Coventry• Warwickshire• Telford• Central Birmingham