Agenda item

To consider the report of the Skills Officer.

The Skills Officer presented the report which covered the development of a Skills Strategy for Exeter, including the progress made to date, an overview of required actions and required timescales.  The report aimed to ensure Members were kept up to date with progress and future plans, in relation to this area of work, and understood the planned process and initial priorities to develop and deliver a skills strategy for Exeter.

She explained to Members that the city was performing well in relation to key employment and skills indicators, and that the graduate retention levels in Exeter were 7.4% and 50% across the South West region. Exeter University were continuing to engage with local businesses for graduate work placements in Exeter.

Members were referred to the feedback results from a short business survey, with local businesses which highlighted the key areas of concern from employers as; the low unemployment rate causing recruitment challenges, a mixed response to apprenticeships from employers and  also that some responders were not offering work experience or engaging with schools. To date, a number of priority areas have been identified, and further robust research was required to confirm these as part of the preparing the strategy. The Skills Officer advised that a Skills Advisory Group for Exeter would be formed to support the delivery of the Skills Strategy and the projects for development.

In response to questions from Members, the Skills Officer responded as follows:-

·        Members would receive quarterly update briefings on the progress of the work;

·         The requirement for funding priorities was medium risk, due to the uncertainty of future European Funding and what would replace it, this could be re-assessed once more is known;

·         The post of the Skills Officer was a permanent full time role;

·         Exeter University managed several schemes to retain graduates locally, including internships, but there were not enough businesses engaging with them to utilise these schemes. Raising the profile of these schemes was a priority;

·         The budget would be large enough to support the development of the strategy and associated research;

·         There were a number of employers in Exeter offering the National Living Wage to employees;

·         The report was for the local economy and a part of the remit of the Place Scrutiny Committee;

·         The 7.4% retention figure covered graduates who remained in Exeter only. The number of graduates retained across Devon was around 12%, the figures for this year would need to be clarified and reported back at a future meeting.

Place Scrutiny Committee noted the progress made to date in relation to the development of a Skills Strategy for Exeter, and supported approval by the Executive of the following:-

(1)     to plan for the next stages of development, leading to the publication of a strategy and associated action plans,

(2)     the formation of a Skills Advisory Group for Exeter that will support strategy development and provide ongoing support, direction and challenge to the delivery of identified priorities, and

(3)     Members continued support for the priorities identified in Section 10 of the circulated report.