Partner Article

Time to invest in the skills of tomorrow

As I go around businesses in North Tyneside and beyond, one thing gets repeated to me time and time again.

That is, businesses want to expand and want to grow. But skilled workers in the fields that are the rapidly growing industries of not just today, but tomorrow, are just not there. And when they are, they are extremely difficult to maintain and keep hold of such is their rarity. Whilst this is undoubtedly good for those individuals, being able to secure the best for themselves and their families, it does pose a significant headache for businesses in recruiting.

This inability to fill business critical posts is amplified when you look at the demographics of those professions which are in high demand – in particular engineering.

Much has been made of the need for upskilling the workforce of today and preparing our young people at an early age for the jobs of tomorrow. From my own perspective, I believe we need to begin educating our young people about the future job market from an early age.

The role of teachers is critical in this. They are the ones with the applied time with our young people. But rather than just giving them the knowledge to pass exams, I believe we should be empowering them to teach, to show young people what is out there for them as a career, and what sectors the jobs will be in and what this will entail.

Business leaders too, need to be invited to have an active role within schools and setting the skills agenda. I know here in the North East area, we have a strong advocate in Andrew Hodgson, the Vice-Chair of the North Eastern LEP who is speaking with the Head Teachers in North Tyneside about the opportunities right on their doorstep for our young people.

Councils like North Tyneside are also part of this. We must continue to set the path towards growth in order to grow the economy and we must ensure it is communicated not just nationally and internationally, but also locally so our young people can see for themselves what is on their doorstep.

The North Bank of the Tyne used to provide work for generations of families, and I believe it can do so again. Much has rightly been made of the huge potential along the River Tyne for marine offshore renewables manufacturing; from Newcastle through to North Tyneside and across the river in South Tyneside. Each Council is committed to making the most of these unique opportunities to turn this area back into a thriving hotbed of activity and jobs many of which will be highly-skilled and well-paid.

Situated on the North Bank is the new Energy Academy which I was pleased to visit recently ahead of its official opening. It has around eighty students initially, but with more as it becomes more widely known and future years students enrol.

Newcastle College are ensuring that the Academy links in with businesses along the River and more widely within the LEP area. Taking on students at 16, it will get them ready with the basic skills needed to enter the world of work at 18 and be ready to start. The education will not stop there, as companies will be able to train other workers, individuals who may have left engineering can enrol themselves to re-skill in the profession, and qualifications will be on offer to degree level.

This is an outstanding achievement which I know has the attention of elsewhere in Europe. So we are setting a clear path for our future which can allow us

But we must get them early enough in their lives to allow them to explore what these industries are all about, understand what educational choices it requires, and sufficient time to pursue it from an age where if they choose another path (as young people are entitled to do) they can still forge a meaningful and successful career based on their education.

I am always reminded of the German experience when we discuss skills and their development in the young people of tomorrow. Last March we hosted a visit from Wolgang Moessinger, German Consul General for Scotland and the North East of England where he told me how it works there. Businesses set the skills curriculum and determine what jobs will be available over the coming decades and tailor their education appropriately. Not compelling young people towards a career, but showing them what is available and giving them the chance to develop the skills they will need should they wish to take advantage of them.

Technological advancements mean that what might be seen as dirty industries are anything but. Modern manufacturing is a high-tech precision industry involving computers. Go to any of the factories involved and you would be surprised at how clean it is – probably more so than many offices.

There is a lot for all sectors to do to drive forward the growth we need. In North Tyneside I am keen to ensure everything is done is a joined-up way for the future. This will not provide an instant solution for the acute shortage I repeatedly hear from businesses, exists right now. This has been allowed to build over many, many years. But surely taking bold steps now will ensure we have people with the right skills for the jobs of tomorrow.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Mrs Linda Arkley .