Businesses in the Wakefield district are coming together with Wakefield Council to identify the current skills gaps in the workforce as well as skills which will be required in the future.
The ‘Skills for the Future’ roundtable, the first of its kind, will provide insight on requirements in the coming years. This in turn will help educational institutions develop relevant courses to create a resilient workforce to meet business needs.
Forecasts suggest greater demand for higher-level technical and specialist skills in the future as greater competition and faster technological change are already happening.
One implication of the forecast is that approximately 10% of the workforce could be in danger of losing their jobs as automation replaces low-skilled jobs. This means positioning that 10% of the workforce with new skills to pivot into new roles when they are required.
Mark Lynam, Wakefield Council’s Corporate Director for Regeneration and Economic Growth, said: “We want to attract new businesses to the district and to do that, we must have a skilled workforce ready for them to employ.
“By looking to the future now, we can best prepare our residents so that they have the skills needed to get well-paid jobs and also to progress in their careers, providing the local economy with a big boost.”
Martin Hathaway, Managing Director of the Chamber of Commerce, said: “This roundtable will give businesses the chance to influence the skills of our future employees. The ambition to be a Learning City & District really gets to the heart of what I feel Wakefield is really about.”
The Council also expect that other skills that will be in demand are computer programming, digital, care sectors, management and business administration, culture, media, sports, construction disciplines such as plasterers, plumbers, electricians and surveyors, advanced manufacturing and ‘green skills’ to support the climate change agenda.
The half-day business roundtable is being held on 26 April.
This is the first in a series of events as Wakefield prepares its application for UNESCO’s Learning City & District status – the standard which underpins and helps to bring to fruition the aspirations of Wakefield Council’s goal to have a highly skilled and fit-for-purpose future-proofed talent pool that would attract high value businesses to Wakefield district.
