Presentation by Paul ZEALEY, Skills Planning Lead Skills Development Scotland, United Kingdom from the OECD capacity building seminar “A workforce for the future - Designing strong local strategies for better jobs and skills”, 28-29 Nov 2017, Venice, Italy. More information: http://oe.cd/CBSVenice2018

1. Skills Planning for City Regions
Paul Zealey
Skills Planning Lead

2. Skills Planning Model
• Agreed published data sets (Regional SkillsAssessments - RSAs)
inform our approach
• RSAs bring together information on demographics, skills demand
and supply, industry input and economic forecasts
• Data available at local authority, Regional Outcome Agreement
(ROA), city region and national level
• RSAs inform skills provision by colleges (through Regional
Outcome Agreements) and by all providers through contracting
Evidence informs approach

4. City Regions and Deals
• Increased move towards city region, regional growth and
devolution “deals”
• UK Government agrees a programme of investment and/or
devolution of powers in exchange for commitment to economic
growth and/or increased democratic accountability
• Scottish Government is co-investor with UK Government in
Scottish deals and with no requirement for mayoral election
• First Scottish deal agreed with Glasgow City Region in 2014, and
worth £1.104 bn in infrastructure investment
• Subsequent deals agreed withAberdeen and Inverness, and in
discussion with Edinburgh, Stirling and Tay Cities
UK policy driver

5. Inclusive Growth
• New twin emphasis on increased competitiveness and tackling
inequality
• Scottish economic strategy (2015) focuses on “four Is” :
– Investment
– Innovation
– Inclusive growth
– Internationalisation
• Inclusive growth
– Promoting Fair work and tackling youth unemployment
– Promoting equality and tackling inequality
– Regional cohesion
– Freedom, security and justice
Increasing focus for economy

7. Regional strategies
• Joint working by local authorities on City Region has encouraged
greater confidence in working together at city-regional level
• In Scotland, this is furthest developed in Glasgow City Region
where 8 local authorities work together
• Skills Development Scotland (SDS) facilitated the development of a
Regional Skills Investment Plan across Glasgow City Region in
2016
• First Glasgow City Region Economic Action Plan published 2017
with 11 objectives and 51 actions or ambitions
• Greater visibility for importance of skills
Working together

8. MISSION FOR 2036
Create the most effective skills system, compared to other comparable city regions across the UK and Europe,
through evidence-based investment and innovation
STRATEGIC OUTCOMES
1. Many more
employers able to
access individuals with
the skills they need
2. Many more residents
are in work that matches
their aspirations and
skills
3. Many more jobs and better
quality jobs created and
sustained due to more
effective skills supply
4. Earnings inequality and
neighbourhood deprivation
reduced through better
access to skills and
qualifications
5. City Region working is
the norm for skills
investment, planning and
provision
AREAS OF ACTION FOR 2016-2019
1. Ensuring
there are
sufficient locally
skilled
construction,
civil
engineering and
other specialist
skills to deliver
City Deal
projects
2. Developing
clear, well-
articulated
and well-used
pathways into
and through
key sectors
and
occupations
3. Providing
high quality
services to
tackle the
barriers to
employment
faced by those
further from
the labour
market
4. Maximising
partner use of
all tools at their
disposal to
generate
employment and
training
opportunities
5. Supporting
businesses to
move up the value
chain, improve
productivity and
competitiveness,
and capitalise on
opportunities for
internationalisation
6. Providing
skills response
to CR Economic
Strategy and
Enterprise
Review priorities
7. Building the
capacity and
evidence to
underpin a CR-
wide approach to
skills investment,
planning and
provision that
aligns with CR
needs

9. New economic strategy
• Previous Glasgow City Economic Strategy had identified tourism
as one of its key sectors
• In review of previous period, key sectors outperformed overall
economy by one and a half times, with tourism a particularly strong
performer
• City region – not just city – of increasing importance
• Skills more explicit within new approach
• Endorsement of Glasgow Economic Leadership board
Building on success

10. Lessons from Glasgow
• Increased use of evidence base for skills planning
• Greater focus on regional economic development and importance of
city regions
• Inclusive growth = tackling inequality alongside increasing
competitiveness and productivity
• Skills issues more explicitly recognised in economic development
strategies
• Sectoral focus has been successful, especially for tourism
• Need to address both demand for higher skills and lower level skills
• Need resilience for likely political and economic change
For discussion