South West Regional Skills Enterprise and Employment Analysis 2007/2008

Final Report

4.9 Higher Level Skills

Conclusion

It will be important to acknowledge the particular importance of Higher Level skills to improving the region’s productivity.

Access to high-level skills is a necessary condition for companies ‘moving up-market’ but not a sufficient one and it is clear that the moves to higher product strategies is a complex.

The RSP should work with HEFCE to respond to known gaps in HE provision identified by sectors and to develop cross-partner strategies for encouraging greater take up of key subjects such as maths and engineering.

This analysis should support decisions on the allocation of additional student numbers.