Current skills needs and priorities within the lifelong learning sector in England Sample Clauses

Current skills needs and priorities within the lifelong learning sector in England. The lifelong learning workforce is a highly professional workforce, made up of a high proportion of staff within Standard Occupational Classifications (SOC) 1-3, incorporating: managers and senior officials; professional occupations; and associate professional and technical occupations. It is therefore not surprising that a high proportion of the lifelong learning workforce across the UK held qualifications equivalent to NVQ level 4 or above. Sixty-five percent of England’s lifelong learning workforce are qualified to this level, the lowest of the four home countries. English regional variations were such that London had the highest proportion of its lifelong learning workforce qualified to NVQ level 4 or above (69%), the North East and South West had the lowest (both 61%) (table C24). Moreover, between the years 2001–2005, the trend in numbers of the lifelong learning workforce holding an NVQ level 4 or above qualification has increased, across all four home countries of the UK. In England there was a 29% increase from 2001 to 2005. These rises have been predominantly driven by increases in the proportion of those within professional occupations and associate professional and technical occupations. However, against this backdrop of already high and increasing skills levels within the workforce, especially among professional and support/associate professionals, the demand for high-level skills continues to outweigh supply. Employers across the UK lifelong learning sector face difficulties in recruiting staff as a result of skills shortages and encounter an even greater challenge in terms of the numbers of existing staff with skills gaps. Skills gaps exist when employees are perceived to be lacking skills important to the successful performance of their existing role. Skills shortages exist when applicants for vacant posts do not have the required skills, work experience or qualifications. Skills shortages were responsible for more ‘hard to fill’ vacancies within the lifelong learning sector than the all-sector average in each of the home countries in the UK. In England, the proportion of all vacancies which were classified as ‘skills shortage vacancies’ (where applicants did not have the required skills, work experience or qualifications) was lower in the lifelong learning sector (15%) than the whole country average (24%). Additionally, 69% of all hard to fill vacancies in the lifelong learning sector were described as skills shortage vacancies, a similar ...