South West Regional Skills Enterprise and Employment Analysis 2007/2008

Final Report

4.9 Higher Level Skills

4.9.3 Sector priorities for HE

The Sector Analysis shows that driving individuals' demand for higher level skills training in their sector is a major concern for a number of SSCs.

SEMTA have deep concerns about the long-term decline in the proportion of students taking engineering and science subjects at HE level, pointing to the fact that engineering students made up 4.6% of the HE total in 2003, compared with 11.8% in 1996. Energy and Utility Skills share this concern arguing for early steps to encourage more young people to study science and engineering. Skills for Care and Development point to a significant shortage of professionals in areas of Social Work.

e-skills UK argue a similar need for growth in numbers of new IT graduates, based on levels of market demand. They forecast employment growth in the IT sector will result in a need to fill 180,000 new and replacement jobs nationally each year, while in 2002 only 8,800 new IT graduates entered the sector within the first six months after graduation. As a response they are developing a new Honours degree that they wish to see rolled out across 22 HEIs nationally. Construction Skills point to a need to grow the number of people graduating from civil engineering and built environment programmes.

There is also interest amongst a range of SSCs in encouraging greater engagement with HE providers to ensure the relevance of course provision. Such a need has been highlighted by Skillset which is looking to work with HE providers in accrediting courses and qualifications.

Improving employer engagement in Foundation Degrees and improving the supply of Foundation Degrees are closely linked to the need to improve the supply of higher level skills training and driving employer demand for higher level skills.

There are clear demands for improved provision of higher level skills training across a range of SSCs including Cogent and Financial Services. High-end skills provision is seen as critical to maintaining competitiveness across these sectors, and there are proposals to establish new courses and training provision.

SSCs identify a clear role for themselves across the higher level skills area as a whole. For SEMTA driving employer participation in graduate apprenticeships is a key goal, which requires improvements to the vocational relevance of degrees and access to sandwich courses. Working to develop specialist degrees and bespoke programmes in partnership with HE and employers is a priority action for the SSC. Skillset similarly are committed to working to improve the design of content of foundation degrees.

While Automotive Skills provision in the South West is generally reasonable up to Level 4, there are no Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) currently offering either first degrees or masters degrees in Automotive Engineering in the South West.

Skills for Health point to the growing number of high skills jobs in the sector, changing roles, demographic trends and the need to improve staff retention through the development of career pathways, particularly for those in lower skilled jobs. Achieving this requires their participation in the creation of new skills development programmes and vocational qualifications at all levels, including Foundation Degree and at higher level. Pressures are similar in the Skills for Justice sector.