FEATURE
Have your say on the future of skills in Tees Valley
Rachel Anderson , assistant director of policy at the North East England Chamber of Commerce , explains how the business network is gathering views from local organisations to create a Local Skills Improvement Plan ( LSIP ) for the Tees Valley
What will the Tees Valley bring to the world in the next few decades ? With a foundation of innovative businesses , proficient exporters and a highly skilled , technical workforce , there is no limit on the opportunity for the region .
The last of these – a skilled workforce – is a huge enabler of economic success .
It ’ s also something which needs to be cultivated , with a clear-eyed view on what ’ s needed to meet the strategic direction the region is heading in .
In fact , in 2019 the Tees Valley ’ s Local Industrial Strategy found that almost a third of adults in the area were not economically active and that 27 per cent of vacancies were not being filled because of skills shortages – two key threats to local economic success .
Huge effort has gone into answering the skills question , nationally as well as regionally .
Schemes to improve careers advice , coupled with programmes boosting employability , new funding pots and even new qualifications have all made a difference , but we need to do more .
We know which sectors are among the most critical for the future of the Tees Valley – green energy , the circular economy , advanced manufacturing , process industries and digital and tech .
The region is a draw in itself , with our tourism offer worth £ 960m to the regional economy in 2018 , supporting 12,000 jobs .
So , the Tees Valley already has a global presence , with a strong business and skills base . The question then is ... where next ? Where next for those industries , and where next beyond them , too , as we look to identify tomorrow ’ s strengths ?
In both cases , we need businesses
Advice – Rachel Anderson , assistant director of policy at the North East England Chamber of Commerce . to speak up and make clear their needs for the region ’ s workforce .
That means sharing their views on skills shortages now , and anticipating their needs for the future .
The chamber is gathering those views to create a Local Skills Improvement Plan ( LSIP ) for the Tees Valley .
The LSIP will serve as a blueprint for skills and training to equip the Tees Valley for the future .
What sets LSIPs apart from previous initiatives on skills is that they are backed by legislation .
Colleges and training providers will need to show how they are aligning with the plan , and will be assessed by Ofsted on their adherence to it .
There is already some incredible work being done by those colleges and training providers , but this plan will allow education and business to be more closely aligned than ever .
Skills are an important foundation upon which a shared vision for the future can be built .
According to Census 2021 data , around one in five people in the Tees Valley area have no qualifications at all – varying from 23.9 per cent of people in Middlesbrough to 18.6 per cent in Stockton .
And , when it comes to higher qualifications , nationally 33.8 per cent of people hold Level 4 – or degree level – qualifications , but nowhere in the Tees Valley does this figure top 30 per cent , with both Hartlepool and Redcar and Cleveland falling below 25 per cent .
The key to success lies in closing these numbers , but closing them in such a way that the Tees Valley is able to grasp the opportunities in front of it .
Is it engineers with data science capability we need ? Is it specialists in developing the region ’ s cultural offer ? Is it innovators in the social care sector ?
We need businesses to tell us what ’ s next – and there are many ways to do that .
You can complete an online survey , have a one-on-one discussion with one of our team , or join us at one of our consultation events .
The important thing is that the voice of every business counts .
On this , as with so much else , the future is in our own hands .
The better the information we get from businesses now , the better our skills blueprint for the future and the better our chances of realising the Tees Valley ’ s economic potential .
Start your journey to help us skill up for success here
The voice of business in the Tees region | 81