Contents of "The South West Skills Market - A review of demand and supply "

1. INTRODUCTION (download 85KB)
Purpose of the review
Background
Methodology
Structure of the report

2. CONTEXT (download 282KB)
International and national economic trends
National policy
Regional and local policy
South West labour market context

3. ANALYSIS OF THE SOUTH WEST SKILLS MARKET (download 5.5MB)
Skills market analysis: methodology
The Supply of Formal Training and Learning
The Supply of Academic and Vocational Qualifications
Overview of Workforce Qualifications
The Demand For Skills And Learning
Non-Formal Work Skills Acquisition

4. STRATEGIC OVERVIEW OF KEY STRATEGIES AND STRUCTURES IN THE SOUTH WEST (download 346KB)
Outline of key agencies: their remit and roles
The relationship between regional and local strategies
Planning and the use of Labour Market Intelligence (LMI)
Partnerships
Key Issues and Challenges

5. CONCLUSIONS AND KEY ISSUES (download 235KB)
Challenges of the South West skills market
Strategic response
Review of the FRESA

6. RECOMMENDATIONS (download 95KB)
Raising employer demand for skills
Aligning skills demand and supply
Joint planning and co-ordination, including improving intelligence

ANNEXES (download 861KB)
Annex 1: Steering Group membership
Annex 2 Methodology
Annex 3 Case studies
The National Health Service
The Ministry of Defence (MOD)
Jobcentre Plus
The Trade Union Congress (TUC): TUC Learning Services
European Funding in the South West
Local Government
Annex 4: Further details tables
Annex 5: List of plans and strategies reviewed
Annex 6: Key Regional Skills Development Agencies
South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA)
The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) 285
Local Learning and Skills Councils
Jobcentre Plus
The Small Business Service (SBS)
Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) and Sector Skills Councils (SSC) – Skills for Business Network
The Connexions Service
Annex 7: Analysis of skills-related strategues within the region
Table B Employer Skills Needs
Table C Investing in Skills
Table D Re-engaging non learners
Table E Reforming the supply side
Table F: Integrating and joint planning of skills development
Annex 8: Directory of planned actions and recommendations
Annex 9 Bibliography

Figure 1: Proportion with high level qualifications against GVA per head
Figure 2: Demand for learning
Figure 3: Skills market matrix
Figure 4: Percentage of those in employment of working age who are self-employed, 2002
Figure 5: Number of businesses, employment and turnover1 in the private sector and public corporations at the start of 2001, by size of business
Figure 6: Use of training plans & budgets by size of business
Figure 7: Participation in job related training by industry, Spring 2003
Figure 8: Percentage of establishments by industry group funding/arranging training in the last twelve months to survey
Figure 9: Participation in learning by adults, 2001
Figure 10: Adults involved in no adult learning, 2001
Figure 11: Employees by gender and industry, 2002
Figure 12: Participation in training and learning by age
Figure 13: Mid-year population estimates by age group, 2002
Figure 14: Proportion of graduates by industry, summer 02 and summer 03
Figure 15: HE students at institutions in the South West, 2001/02
Figure 16: Open University student numbers, 2002/03
Figure 17: NVQ awards by gender, 2001/02
Figure 18: NVQ awards by level
Figure 19: NVQ awards by occupational group, 2001/02
Figure 20: NVQ awards by subject, 2001/02
Figure 21: Advanced and Foundation Modern Apprenticeships, 2002/03
Figure 22: Qualification levels of the working age population (%), 2002
Figure 23: Percentage of respondents by literacy level
Figure 24: Percentage of respondents by numeracy level
Figure 25: Hard-to-fill and skills shortage vacancies
Figure 26: Reasons for vacancies being hard-to-fill
Figure 27: Vacancies by occupation
Figure 28: Employment by Industry, 2002
Figure 29: Regional analysis of Industry
Figure 30: Industry contributions to GVA1 growth: 1995 to 20012, percentages
Figure 31: Employment change from 1998 to 2002 by Industry
Figure 32: Employment by occupation, 2002
Figure 33: Occupation of employment in Banking & Finance, 2002
Figure 34: Occupation of employment in Distribution, Hotels & Restaurants, 2002
Figure 35: Occupation of employment in Public Administration, Education and Health, 2002
Figure 36: Industrial employment projections to 2012
Figure 37: Occupational employment projections to 2012
Figure 38: Composition of employment in 2012, administrative & secretarial occupations
Figure 39: Composition of employment in 2012, skilled trade occupations
Figure 40: Composition of employment in 2012 transport & machine operatives
Figure 41: Composition of employment in 2012, elementary occupations
Figure 42: Composition of employment in 2012 within managers and senior officials
Figure 43: Composition of employment in 2012 within professional occupations
Figure 44: Composition of employment in 2012, associate professional & technical occupations.
Figure 45: Composition of employment in 2012, sales & customer services
Figure 46: Composition of employment in 2012, personal service occupations
Figure 47 Concentration of employment at sub regional level
Figure 48: Employers providing on- or off-the-job training
Figure 49: Methods of providing off-the-job training
Figure 50: Methods of providing on-the-job training
Figure 51: Learning opportunities offered to those not receiving training
Figure 52: Skills Development Agency Remit and Roles Matrix
Figure 53: The skills development infrastructure
Figure 54: Position and Function of Actors in the Skills Market
Figure 55
Figure 56: Planned Expenditure 2003/04 (£ million)
Figure 57: Applications by Occupational Group, 2003/04
Figure 58: Applications by Course Category, 2003/04
Figure 59: Devon & Cornwall WDC Budget 2003/04
Figure 60: Devon & Cornwall WDC, Budget 2003/04
Figure 61: Applications by Occupational Group, 2003/04
Figure 62: Applications by Course Category, 2003/04
Figure 63: Planned Expenditure, 2003/04
Figure 64: Dorset & Somerset Planned Expenditure, 2003/04
Figure 65: Applications by Occupational Group, 2003/04
Figure 66: Applications by Course Category, 2003/04
Figure 67: Employment in Services, April 2003
Figure 68: Location of Civilian Employment, April 2003
Figure 69: Starts to new jobs, 2003
Figure 70: Programme Centre Starts
Figure 71: Work-based Learning for Adults
Figure 72: Gateway to Work
Figure 73: Learning Reps by Area, April 2004
Figure 74: ULF Annual Budget
Figure 75: Profiled and achieved outputs for the fund – Round 1 and Round 2
Figure 76: Approved projects by region and sector
Figure 77: Programmes in the South West
Figure 78: Objective 1 ESF Grants awarded to projects announced to date
Figure 79: Programme levels targets for core outputs, results and impacts
Figure 80: Financial Allocations Under the ESF funded priorities of Objective 2
Figure 81: Measure 1.3 targets
Figure 82: Measure 2.5 targets
Figure 83: Measure 3.6 targets
Figure 84: ESF Objective 3 Allocation 2000 – 2006 (£000s)
Figure 85: Funding to projects in the South West sub-regions by measure (value in £000s)
Figure 86: Policy Field 1 – Annual Targets
Figure 87: Policy Field 2 – Annual Targets
Figure 88: Policy Field 3 – Annual Targets
Figure 89: Policy Field 4 – Annual Targets
Figure 90: Policy Field 5 – Annual Targets
Figure 91: Round One Projects Active in the South West
Figure 92: Measure 1.1 - Outputs
Figure 93: Measure 2.1 - Outputs
Figure 94: Measure 2.2 - Outputs
Figure 95: Measure 3.1 - Outputs
Figure 96: Investors in People (IiP) as a percentage of authorities
Figure 97: Median labour turnover
Figure 98: Investment in training
Figure 99: Value added by training and development
Figure 100: Percentage of those in employment of working age who are self-employed, 2002
Figure 101: Number of businesses, employment and turnover1 in the private sector and public corporations at the start of 2001, by size of business
Figure 102: Participation in Job Related Training by Industry
Figure 103: Participation in Learning by Adults, 2001
Figure 104: Percentage of adults involved in no adult learning
Figure 105: Employees by gender and industry
Figure 106: NVQ Awards by Occupational Group
Figure 107: Employees by Industry, percentage of employment 2002
Figure 108: Employees by Occupation, percentage of employment, 2002
Figure 109: Bournemouth, Dorset & Poole: Industrial Employment Projections to 2012
Figure 110: Devon & Cornwall: Industrial Employment Projections to 2012
Figure 111: Gloucestershire: Industrial Employment Projections to 2012
Figure 112: Somerset: Industrial Employment Projections to 2012
Figure 113: West of England: Industrial Employment Projections to 2012
Figure 114: Wiltshire & Swindon: Industrial Employment Projections to 2012
Figure 115: Bournemouth, Dorset & Poole: Occupational Employment Projections to 2012
Figure 116: Devon & Cornwall: Occupational Employment Projections to 2012
Figure 117: Gloucestershire: Occupational Employment Projections to 2012
Figure 118: Somerset: Occupational Employment Projections to 2012
Figure 119: West of England: Occupational Employment Projections to 2012
Figure 120: Wiltshire & Swindon: Occupational Employment Projections to 2012

Map 1. Percentage of those in employment of working age who are self-employed, 2002
Map 2 – Percentage of 15 year old pupils achieving 5+ A* to C grades at GCSE
Map 3 – GCE/A level results by LEA, 2003
Map 4 – Further Education Colleges and Higher Education Institutions in the South West
Map. 5 – Proportion of working age population qualified to NVQ level 4+

'the key co-ordinator, assembler, analyser and disseminator of skills and learning information in the South West'

The Skills and Learning Intelligence Module (SLIM) provides a source of robust and accessible evidence on the skills and learning needs of individuals and businesses across the South West. SLIM seeks to inform policy decisions, funding programmes, organisational and partnership strategies and individual projects. The development of SLIM has been driven by the growing emphasis on the region as a focus for promoting sustainable economic and social development and a national emphasis on evidence-based practice.

SLIM offers a range of services to capture, synthesise and disseminate knowledge on skills and learning:

• It develops on-line databases of research and data;
• It drives discussion and analysis of this information through e-newsletters; a quarterly Bulletin; on-line discussions; workshops and thematic reports.
• It offers individual advice and analysis through a help-desk and through direct working with the Regional Development Agency (RDA) and Regional Assembly.
• As a module of the South West Regional Observatory, it will increasingly work with the other modules to contribute to an holistic understanding of the region’s path to sustainable development.

SLIM supports the Framework for Regional Employment and Skills Action (FRESA) which is 'the way in which key regional partners led by the RDA will develop and deliver an agreed plan to address the skills and employment needs of employers and individuals within the region'. It does this in its role as secretariat to the South West Research Forum where it works in partnership to identify gaps in current knowledge, secure resources and commission research to fill these gaps.

SLIM would like to thank the members of the project Steering Group: Liz Georgeson, South West RDA; Nicola Oates, Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE); Rose Bird, Government Office South West (GOSW); and Janet Rice, Gloucestershire LSC. Many thanks also go to Gareth James (formerly Head of Planning and Research at Somerset LSC), chair of the Steering Group, who provided invaluable advice and support to the project team.

Thanks also go to the Regional Observatory Core Unit for producing the maps, to Somerset LSC for support with some data analysis, and to Pete Gisborne for his advice on data issues. In addition, thanks also go to the many organisations that helped to provide data for the report, but in particular to Devon & Cornwall, Avon, Gloucester & Wiltshire, and Dorset & Somerset WDCs, the Plymouth Resettlement Centre, Jobcentre Plus SW Regional Office, TUC Learning Services SW, the Employers’ Organisation (EO) and Government Office for the South West (GOSW).

We would also like to thank those organisations contributing funding to the project: South West RDA (SWRDA); the South West Learning and Skills Councils (LSCs); the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE); and Objective 3 European Social Fund (ESF).

Finally, SLIM would like to acknowledge the Project Team:

Chris Evans, project director
Laura Smith, labour market analyst
Jo Pye, adviser on non-formal learning
Alan Dunster, consultant on strategic overview

• List of Figures & maps
• SLIM
• Abbreviations
• Acknowledgements
• Contents in PDF
• Report home page

Use the links below to view PDFs of the report

• Introduction
• Context
• Analysis
• Strategic overview
• Conclusions & key issues
• Recommendations
• Annexes

Summaries

• Overview Report
• Executive summary:
  With SLIM cover (544KB)

Without SLIM cover (73KB)