Agenda item

(i)      Report of the Corporate Director of Resources.

(ii)      Presentation by the Skills Director, North East Local Enterprise Partnership.

The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director of Resources which provided some background detail in respect of the North East Skills Advisory Panel (for copy see file of Minutes).

Michelle Rainbow, Skills Director of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership gave a presentation to Members on the Skills Advisory Panel analysis of North East skills in order to bring together local employers and skills providers to understand and address key local challenges.

The presentation addressed the following:

·        Detail of the Skills Advisory Panel – purpose and structure.

·        Analysis of North East skills including analytical framework to identify skills priorities and mechanisms for delivering those priorities.

·        Key findings and implications from the analysis in relation to

-      understanding demand for skills

-      meeting employer demand

-      meeting the needs of the community

-      ability to respond to wider trends.

·          Further research in key sectors where rapid changes were expected – energy/offshore wind, digital skills in health and social care and in tourism and culture.

·   Delivery and programmes underway.

Following a question from the Chair, the Skills Director explained that the Panel met every two months and that European funding had been secured to deliver work around careers and engagement which was undertaken by a team of 30.

Councillor Adam asked for sight of the final analysis of the skills environment when it was available.  The Councillor queried the impact of funding on delivery of the findings, given the recent announcement in respect of Further Education funding, and the reduction in employer training because of the lack of Government funding. 

The Skills Director stated that the analytical data would provide robust evidence for the Government about where future funding should be targeted to ensure that skills needs were met. They were working closely with the Department for Education and the Government to ensure that key priorities would be addressed, linking in with the UK’s Industrial Strategy. She acknowledged that Further Education funding levels were challenging, but the data would assist in influencing budgets and ensuring that courses matched identified needs.

Councillor Adam also referred to the skills needs analysis commissioned in tourism and culture, a sector that was not traditionally seen as high wage or high skilled employment. The Skills Director explained that tourism and culture had been chosen because it was a sector that was important to the North East economy. 

Councillor Atkinson emphasised the importance of engaging children in career education at key points in the child’s development and stages of progression at school. The Skills Director advised that a lot of work was focussed on career guidance, starting in primary schools, and engaging parents was an important part of this.

Councillor Tucker referred to the need to support older workers, who wished to return to employment, and the barriers to this because of a lack of opportunities to retrain. The Skills Director reported that the Panel was lobbying the Government about lifelong learning. There were opportunities within European Funding and Adult Education budgets, and she expected there would be opportunities within future funding regimes.

Mrs Morris considered that this was a huge undertaking and given future pressures she considered that priorities may have to be scaled down. She encouraged the Panel to focus on priorities that were achievable in the shortest possible timeframe and locations where there was greater need. Mrs Morris also made the point that some data being gathered by the Panel was already available, for example data provided by schools and she encouraged colleagues to use the data already available.

Following questions from Councillor Martin, the Skills Director advised that devolution had not had a detrimental impact on delivery, and if future funding was allocated according to skills demand, then education providers would provide appropriate courses to meet that need. Councillor Tucker noted that in Further Education Colleges courses were cancelled if they were under-subscribed because of budgetary pressures. The Skills Director acknowledged that this was an issue but was being addressed through increased collaboration between colleges.

Resolved:

That the report and presentation be noted, and Members be provided with a link to the results of the analysis when published.