The Select Committee were given an opportunity to comment on the training and skills interventions by the County Council and partner organisations to improve the skills of the workforce to enable economic recovery and growth. The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills described the recent economic and skills achievements leading into the pandemic and the major investments and skills and employability programmes that had been put in place in response. The report considered where growth was expected in the future economy of Staffordshire and what the strategic workforce skills priorities were likely to be needed for our future skills and employability programmes to meet the changing demand.

The economy and skills required were rapidly changing and the impact of the pandemic had accelerated many trends which had been emerging previously. New digital technologies and the requirement for clean growth to address climate change, growth in e-commerce and working from home were changing the way we live. The economy was becoming greener and more digital across all sectors.

In terms of the future response, the Redundancy and Recruitment Triage Service is tasked with supporting businesses who have had to restructure and individuals affected to match skills and qualities with demand.   The countywide redundancy task group had been established as the vehicle to address the effects of job losses on individuals through collaboration with partner agencies and the promotion of local and national employability programmes. A range of initiatives and programmes had been created to support economic regeneration.

In the longer term, in anticipation of significant job losses resulting from the pandemic, the need to upskill and reskill individuals would remain a priority. In the transition to the new normal, there would be opportunities to be more transformative with programmes that address longer term skill issues.  Delivery of substantial capital programmes such as HS2 and the West Midlands Freight Interchange provided clear opportunities for skills and employment in the area. 

Based on the extensive assessment of evidence gathered to support the development of the SAP Skills Strategy, LIS and Covid-19 Strategies, there was agreement in identifying a number of sector skill priorities.  Future economic growth and strategic skills priorities were identified around Digital; the Green Economy; Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering; Modern Methods of Construction; Advanced Logistics; and the Health and Care Sector.

The Chairman asked about the current employment profile of the county. The Assistant Director for Skills and Employability said that the overall profile had changed over the last 10 years seeing a significant increase in manufacturing (50% growth) and with construction – these sectors remained the strongest. Transport and logistics had also increased especially linked to the manufacturing sector. Broadly it was a balanced picture with some key strengths.

A Member asked about the service sector and the opportunity that re training provided to encourage positive messages.

The Cabinet Member was aware that the future economy would require higher skill sets and he had a responsibility to ensure training offered by providers was suitable. Trainers base their offer on demand and the County Council must ensure they are accurate in their assessment of need.  The LEP Skills Panel has a role here and informative exchange is important. Furthermore, the County Council’s Adult Education offer must be relevant and upskilling. 

A Government pilot on upskilling before the pandemic had been effective and engagement had demonstrated a strong appetite for upskilling although barriers were cited as cost of courses and time available. There had since been a rapid increase in the delivery of digital platform learning.

A Member asked about people unable to upskill. The Cabinet Member said that there had been a reduction in the number of people with no formal qualifications but there would always be some people happy with their situation with no desire to upskill. It was important to market and promote training opportunities so people could choose. While the County Council had a role in brokering training there had to be some personal responsibility and personal appetite for it.

A Member asked about the Ignite programme. The Cabinet Member said the objective had been to promote Staffordshire as a great place to set up a business. The initiative recognised that young people don’t have experience of the working world so it offered a blend of support for business start up with an element of mentoring. The Assistant Director explained that the initiative had come from discussion with FE colleges in response to the pandemic and there had been a considerable amount of interest. A Member felt that young people could benefit from the experience of those at the end of their careers.

The Chairman asked to what extent the pandemic had impacted on the apprenticeship scheme. The Cabinet Member said there had been a reduction in apprenticeship start-ups which was to have been expected. It was difficult to deliver some types of training and it was expected there would be an increase soon.

The Chairman asked whether the impact of AI in displacing jobs and the green agenda had been analysed. The Cabinet Member recognised AI as a threat to jobs which bolstered the need to upskill appropriately and to attract businesses into the county which require humans.  The green agenda presented opportunities and the counties central location was attractive to many green energy companies.     

RESOLVED That the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills be congratulated on a comprehensive report which worked to ensure the workforce was prepared to meet future needs of the Staffordshire economy and that he report to the Select Committee on progress against the report on a three monthly cycle.