Towards a regional approach for skills policy

Focusing on the UK as a case study, this paper offers a critical discussion of current approaches for skills policy in the context of the increasing spatial imbalances that characterize advanced economies. We outline an integrated framework for regional skills policy, allowing a shift from ex-post interventions on industry-specific skills deficiencies towards a place-based perspective reflecting the dynamic evolution of skills requirements. Building on a systemic institutional approach, the proposed framework identifies synergies across skills and regional development policies connecting them through the role of shared skills in providing horizontal platforms, enhancing combinatorial opportunities across sectors for resilient structural change.