Research into Basic Skills Needs in the East of England

1
Research into Basic Skills Needs in the East of
England

• Mark Deas
• Learning Skills Analyst
• East of England Development Agency
• 26 June 2002

2
EEDA labour market research

• Regional Skills Strategy Action Plan
• Objective to produce better quality and more
  useable LMI
• Funded research through partners
• Disseminate research via Regional Observatory
  (www.eastofenglandobservatory.org.uk)

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EEDAs research into basic skills

• Purpose to provide a baseline to support
  regional co-ordination of basic skills activities
• Components
• Basic skills in the East of England
• Forecasting future skill needs of practitioners
  in the development of basic skills in the post-16
  sector
• Other LMI, Eg. NTOs, LPs

4
Presentation structure

• Mapping basic skills deficiencies in the East of
  England
• Signals from the economy
• Summary implications

5
The scale of the problem

• 22 of working age population in East of England
  have poor literacy skills
• 22 of working age population in East of England
  have poor numeracy skills
• Men perform worse on literacy tests, women on
  numeracy tests
• Over 700,000 people with basic skill needs
• Over 500,000 people with no qualifications (15)

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Basic skill needs by age (in England)
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Basic skill needs by geography (1)

• Highest population with poor literacy Harlow
  (28)
• Lowest population with poor literacy S. Cambs
  (18)
• Worst wards 33-36
• Highest population with poor numeracy Harlow
  (31)
• Lowest population with poor numeracy Uttlesford
  (16)
• Worst wards 37-42

8
Basic skill needs by geography (2)
9
Basic skill needs by economic status (1)
10
Basic skill needs by economic status (2)
11
Basic skill needs by industry
12
Basic skill needs by occupation
13
Signals from the economy (1)

• Basic skill deficiencies are causing skill
  shortages and gaps in the regional labour market
  but they are not as important as other skills
  (communication, team working, IT)
• 7 of all skill shortage vacancies require
  literacy skills
• 10 of all skill shortage vacancies require
  numeracy skills

14
Signals from the economy (2)

• 13 of all skill gaps are related to literacy
• 12 of all skills gaps are related to numeracy
• Basic skill gaps most common in personal services
  and plant machine operatives
• Not a major issue for elementary occupations
• But is an issue for more highly skilled
  occupations such as skilled trades, clerical
  secretarial and associate professionals

15
The knowledge economy is impacting on lower
skilled jobs in 2 ways

• It is increasing employer demand for these jobs
  (multiplier effect) although the structure of
  these jobs is changing towards service related
  activities
• It is increasing the skill demand within many
  (but not all) low skilled jobs
• BSL point to caring personal service occupations,
  sales occupations, elementary administrative
  and service occupations all traditionally
  female dominated

16
This is fostering a dual labour market
17
Summary implications - individuals

• Measuring basic skill needs is difficult! But on
  any measure basic skills are an important issue
  for the East of England
• The age distribution curve is U shaped should
  we be targeting the young or the old?
• Some coastal and urban areas face the greatest
  basic skills problems, but the problem is
  prevalent in every community.
• By far the biggest basic skill needs cohort is
  the low skilled but employed. However, we have
  not considered the intensity of need.

18
Summary implications - employers

• Given the tightness of the labour market basic
  skill needs are not a priority for employers
  (unlike generic skills)
• Skill needs in lower skill jobs are rising so
  basic skills are likely to grow in importance.
• Changing occupational structures at the lower end
  of the labour market will favour women.