Skills Conference will reveal latest data and offer solutions
"It is essential that we create and maintain a flow of highly-skilled young people into employment and we are pursuing a range of initiatives to make that happen."
Warwickshire County Council will reveal its latest forecast for higher-level skills shortages through to 2026 at its annual Skills Conference on Wednesday 6th March.
Delegates at the conference will be presented with all the latest skills forecasts specific to Warwickshire, compiled from new research undertaken by the county council.
The research underlines how workplaces and the skills required within them are changing rapidly in all sectors. During the coming years it is forecast that more than 60 per cent of new jobs to be created will require qualifications at degree-level - and 17 per cent at doctorate level.
The annual Skills Conference has become a highly-regarded event in the county's business calendar as it brings together a broad range of businesses and education-providers.
This year's event, to be held at the National Agricultural Centre, Stoneleigh Park, will look at the latest labour market forecasts to highlight the likely future demand for occupations and skills in the area.
The conference will also explore ways of enabling local young people to move into higher-level jobs in the local workforce.
Warwickshire County Council's head of economy and skills Dave Ayton-Hill said: "Skills shortages is an issue which affects businesses in almost every sector and it is one which we, as a council, are working constantly to address.
"It is essential that we create and maintain a flow of highly-skilled young people into employment and we are pursuing a range of initiatives to make that happen. These include ongoing discussions with our three further education colleges about how we can increase the range of Degree and Higher Apprenticeships available to enable businesses to develop employees while they work.”
Among the key speakers at the Skills Conference will be representatives from Coventry University and the University of Warwick.
“We are delighted that the universities will be taking part,” said Glenn Robinson, Skills for Employment Manager at Warwickshire County Council. "We need to keep more of their talented graduates in Warwickshire to help tackle the higher-level skills shortages. The universities' speakers will explain how local employers can work with them to promote job opportunities. They will also outline the type of students they have coming through who may be interested in getting local jobs.
"For example, there is the Warwick Summer Internships Programme which fully funds undergraduates to work for six weeks in SMEs and charities."
Jayne Mourinho, Internships Development Officer at the University of Warwick, said: “The internships programme is a great opportunity for organisations to access additional resource or road-test talent."
Delegates at the conference will also find out about schools with ‘A’ level students who are interested in finding jobs with the potential for development to higher levels when they leave in the summer of 2019.
The Skills Conference is a key element of Warwickshire County Council's £3 million Skills for Employment programme which has funded more than 40,000 careers and employability activities in more than 600 local businesses during the last four years
To book your free place at the Skills Conference please visit here.
For further information please e-mail: skillsforemployment@warwickshire.gov.uk