Thriving workforce

Create a skill system that is business-led and responsive to emerging opportunities in core sectors, such as green skills​

The subregion performs strongly in terms of its qualification profile, with York having the highest ​skills levels of any city in the North of England. But these skills don’t always address the needs of industry and changing trends mean upskilling and reskilling is needed. ​

​For training and education to be meaningful, it needs to be employer-led and accessible. Employers are most likely to say that managers need upskilling. They also prefer micro accreditation and quick, bitesize courses. Training need to be adapted to suit these requirements. ​

​Skills also need to ensure that businesses are resilient to changing trends. There will be growing demand for skills linked to decarbonisation and sustainability. For example, housing retrofit will require new skills in the construction sector, and declining carbon-intensive sectors could result in people being displaced and the need for new and transferable skills into growing sustainable sectors. ​

​Ensure all our residents have a clear career pathway, no matter their age or the stage they are at in their career​

Over the last 5 years or so, York and North Yorkshire has had a consistently low unemployment rate, but the sub-region faces labour shortages and a tightening labour market. This has been partly a result of an ageing population and decline in young people (with exceptions for York and Selby). There is a missing generation of people in some of our most rural communities​.

​To fill this gap, clear career pathways will be critical for all, ensuring the next generation of employees for key growth sectors, helping our older workforce to remain within the labour market, reducing employment gaps (particularly linked to gender, disability and age) and supporting transferable skills for those at risk of displacement. ​

​Communities are empowered to fully participate and progress in learning and work​

Education, training and skills deprivation is a more significant issue than other forms of deprivation within York and North Yorkshire, particularly on the coast – 17% of neighbourhoods in Scarborough are among the 10% most deprived. Community based learning could help to address barriers to learning and work. Supporting our residents with skills and training could help to reduce isolation, improve health and wellbeing and enable progression in learning and work. ​

​Health is also a strong predictor of inactivity of workers. Addressing labour shortages could also be achieved through creating healthy workplaces and supporting our business communities to do this.

Our focus will be to…​

• ​Ensure strong career pathways for all our residents through Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG)​
• Ensure that skills and training is business-led and adaptable to emerging opportunities ​
• Support all our communities to access skills opportunities, particularly targeting hard-to-reach residents and those furthest from the labour market​
• Create a an integrated, responsive and flexible local skills system ​