West Cumbria Opportunities & Challenges 2025 30 31 Participation in Education & Training (residence-based by former district) QUALIFICATIONS (IN THE 16-64 POPULATION) According to figures released in December 2024, Cumberland was estimated to have a lower proportion (36.2%) of working age residents qualified to Level 4 or above when compared with the national rate of 47.4%. However, Cumberland does have a higher proportion qualified up to level 3 (29.8%) than nationally (20.4%) which may reflect the higher-than-average progression into apprenticeships locally.34 Annual estimates of qualification levels among the working age population are created using the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) levels. Qualification Levels (% aged 16-64) 22 Labour Market Briefing May 2025: Cumbria Intelligence Observatory, May 2025. 23 Labour Market Briefing May 2025: Cumbria Intelligence Observatory, May 2025. 24 Universal Credit Health comprises of those with a restricted ability to work, supported by acceptable medical evidence or with a limited capacity to work. 25 Labour Market Briefing May 2025: Cumbria Intelligence Observatory, May 2025. 26 https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peoplenotinwork/economicinactivity/articleshalfamillionmorepeopleareoutofthelabourforcebecauseoflongtermsickness/2022-11-10 27 Coram Childcare Survey 2024: Hodges. L, Shorto.S, Goddard, E., 2024 https://www.familyandchildcaretrust.org/sites/default/files/Childcare%20Survey%202024_1.pdf 28 Coram Childcare Survey 2024: Hodges. L, Shorto.S, Goddard, E., 2024 https://www.familyandchildcaretrust.org/sites/default/files/Childcare%20Survey%202024_1.pdf 29 https://www.cumberland.gov.uk/schools-and-education/early-years-education-and-childcare/early-years-strategy-2023-2025 30 Labour Market Briefing May 2025: Cumbria Intelligence Observatory, May 2025. 31 https://www.ucas.com/data-and-analysis/undergraduate-statistics-and-reports/ucas-undergraduate-end-cycle-data-resources-2024 32 Estimated proportion of 18-year-olds starting full-time undergraduate courses through UCAS, 2022. 33 House of Commons Library, Research Briefing: Higher education student numbers, Bolton. P, 2024, https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7857/ 34 Labour Market Briefing May 2025: Cumbria Intelligence Observatory, May 2025. LABOUR MARKET CHALLENGES West Cumbria has a super-ageing population. When combined with lower numbers of young people being available, and projected to be available for work, West Cumbria is faced with a significant, future labour market shortage. As older people age in the workplace and chose retirement, and younger people migrate to other areas, this challenge becomes all the more pressing. These acute labour supply issues require effective measures, including apprenticeships, to stabilise and increase the working age population, so as to ensure the growth of sectors including nuclear, health and medicine, engineering, clean energy, environmental land management, research and development, digital, technology and the visitor economy.35 There are also current labour market shortages. Job skills in West Cumbria reflect a diverse economy, balancing the high demands of major industries with the lower skilled sectors like tourism, retail and hospitality - where apprenticeships in ICT, hospitality and the green economy are in most demand. Skills Required - April 202536 Top Specialised Skills Required Top Common Skills Required A range of partners including the Skills and Enterprise Partnership37 are currently pulling together to address these current and future challenges. Using a variety of financial tools such as the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Towns Deal and Future High Streets Fund, partners are working to improve West Cumbria’s ‘liveability’ offer in such a way as to attract and retain a younger demographic. Similarly, partners in education including the Centre for Leadership Performance, Lakes College and Energus are working, often alongside schools and businesses, to promote entrepreneurship, apprenticeships, business mentoring, skills development and career development ambitions. Targeted work is also being undertaken within West Cumbria’s VCSE, encouraging those furthest away from labour markets, including those who are unemployed and with additional learning needs, to participate in learning and training opportunities. Often this includes helping clients with additional wider needs, including access to food banks and support for travel costs, which all impact on an individual’s ability to participate in labour and educational opportunities. Similarly, there is widespread acknowledgement that the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis have combined to reduce the ‘readiness’ of people to take up employment and educational opportunities. This is often as a result of complex financial and emotional needs, including poor mental health. For young people in particular, the limited opportunities to meet and interact with others during the pandemic, has resulted in lower levels of ‘maturity’ than would normally be the case, alongside the presentation of weaker communication skills.
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