Page 150 - Minutes of meeting

The Labour Market Challenge

Skills

Barrow has a strong intermediate skills base, but only 30% of the population hold degree level qualifications (compared to 44%

in England). In the BTD area, the share of residents with degree level qualifications is even lower at 25%. The demand for
higher level skills is growing, driven by skill-biased technical change, and Barrow needs to be responsive to these trends to
facilitate a competitive and productive economy. An estimated 34% of the replacement demand for jobs in Cumbria between
2019 and 2024 are expected to require L4+ qualifications*.

Demand from the manufacturing sector drives apprenticeship starts, especially amongst the 16 to 18 year group*. There is an
increasing trend in apprenticeship starts and achievements until 2017/8, when the Apprenticeship Levy was introduced. Of the
2018/9 achievements, 25% were intermediate, 68% were advanced and 7% were higher apprenticeships.

Qualifications Profile, 2018 Apprenticeship Starts & Achievements in Barrow

Source: Annual Population Survey, ONS 2019; Apprenticeship Starts, DoE, 2019; Apprenticeship Achievements, DoE, 2019; People, Employment & Skills
Strategy Group: Evidence Base, CLEP, 2019