Abstract
Matching skills supply and demand is critical for economic growth, competitiveness and inclusiveness. Yet, measuring skills is difficult. This paper develops an approach for measuring the gap between demand and supply of skills at the local level in the UK West Midlands region. It uses qualifications as a proxy for skills. By comparing the projected supply of qualifications with the forecast demand for qualifications from occupational forecasts, the analysis reveals significant skill mismatches with potential to constrain regional growth potential. Policy implications for connecting skills, transport and housing policy as part of local industrial strategies are explored.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1149-1159 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Regional Studies |
| Volume | 54 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| Early online date | 21 Apr 2020 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2 Aug 2020 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The authors kindly thank the anonymous referees and the editor, who were extraordinarily helpful and generous with their comments and insights.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, © 2020 Regional Studies Association.
Keywords
- UK
- labour market
- qualifications
- regional economic development
- skills
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Environmental Science(all)
- Social Sciences(all)
Access to Document
- Green_et_al_Ensuring_skills_are_available_in_the_right_locations_Regional_Studies_2020
This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Regional Studies on 21/04/2020, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/00343404.2020.1740190