The publishing industry in the UK is dominated by London and the South East, with over 11,000 small businesses, most having fewer than 10 employees. While the number of publishing companies is increasing, the workforce is shrinking and aging. There are also decreasing levels of diversity. Employers struggle to fill vacancies in areas like sales, marketing, and technical skills. Students studying publishing are also not meeting the industry's needs for skills in areas such as sales, marketing, and software proficiency. Overall the publishing industry faces challenges around an aging workforce, skills gaps, and attracting new talent.

1. UCL
September 2011

3. Key stats and facts
• 11,600 businesses Number of Publishing Companies by Nation
• 88% <10 employees
• 97% <50 employees Wales, 300, 3%
Scotland, 600, 5%
• Largest Creative Media Northern Ireland,
sector in Scotland, 150, 1%
England & London Wales
Scotland
Northern Ireland
England
England, 10500,
91%
Source: Skillset (2010) Strategic Skills Assessment / ONS Labour Force Survey July 2009-June 2010

4. Number of companies
Regional distribution of Publishing employers
North East, 180, North West, 810,
2% 7%
Northern Ireland,
Scotland, 580,
155, 1%
5%
Yorkshire &
Wales, 320, 3% Humber, 555, 5%
East Midlands,
580, 5%
South West,
1090, 9%
West Midlands,
670, 6%
South East, 2220,
19%
London, 3180, East, 1240, 11%
27%
Source: Skillset (2010) Strategic Skills Assessment / ONS Labour Force Survey July 2009-June 2010

5. Number of employees in Publishing
Source: Skillset (2010) Strategic Skills Assessment / ONS Labour Force Survey July 2009-June 2010

6. Publishing Demographics
Diversity & Equality of Publishing Workforce
50
45
40
35
30
2007
25
2010
20
15
10
5
0
% Female % BAME % Disability
Source: Skillset (2010) Strategic Skills Assessment / ONS Labour Force Survey July 2009-June 2010

7. Age of the workforce
Publishing Workforce Age
Aged 16-24
9%
Aged 50+
28%
Aged 25-34
Aged 16-24
24%
Aged 25-34
Aged 35-49
Aged 50+
Aged 35-49
39%
Source: Skillset (2010) Strategic Skills Assessment / ONS Labour Force Survey July 2009-June 2010

8. Qualification levels
Source: Skillset (2010) Strategic Skills Assessment / ONS Labour Force Survey July 2009-June 2010

9. Percentage freelance

10. Pub Quiz… (see what I did there?)
1. Who won the Man Booker Prize for fiction last
year?
2. Name as many e-book readers as you can
3. Which iBook was given away free with every iPad
when it launched?
4. What do SEO and SEM stand for?
5. What is ABC?
6. Name the top Women’s Weekly magazine by
number of copies sold in July-Dec 2010?
7. What does DRM stand for?
8. Name three academic journal publishing
companies
9. What do Thomson Reuters and Press Association
have in common?

11. The story so far…
• Increased number of companies
• Predominantly London, South East, East
• Small number of large employers with large workforces
• Large number of SMEs
• Shrinking workforce
• More managers & senior officials
• Ageing workforce: increase in 35+ age groups
• Freelance workforce
• Decrease in diversity & gender equality of workforce
• Increasing level of degree or equivalent education
• Fewer vacancies but increasing level of harder to fill
vacancies

12. Where do YOU want to work?

13. Supply
Number of Publishing Studies Students in the UK
2500
2000
1500 Total HE students
FT UGs
1000 FT PGs
PT UGs
500 PT PGs
0
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
-500
19 99
20 00
20 01
20 02
20 03
20 04
20 05
20 06
20 07
20 08
Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency

14. Demand
(there’s more to life than editorial… and trade)
Vacancies:
13% had current vacancies
36% of these hard to fill
Occupations that are hard to fill:
Distribution, sales and marketing – 63%
Art and design – 28%
Technical development – 26%
Business management in particular for books (20%)
Production for books (20%)
Source: Skillset (2010) Creative Media Employer Survey

15. What skills do you need?

16. Skills shortages – new entrants
1. Sales and marketing skills – 31%
2. Creative talent – 21%
3. Skills using software packages – 17%
4. Multi-skilling – 16%
5. = Leadership and management skills – 13%
= Finance – 13%
Source: Skillset (2010) Creative Media Employer Survey

17. Skills gaps in existing workforce
28% of employers report skills gaps
Most commonly reported in occupations:
1. Distribution, sales and marketing – 24%
2. Business management – 24%
3. Strategic management – 19%
4. Art and design – 17%
5. Production – 16%
6. Editorial, journalism and sport – 14%
(newspapers – 59%, journals & periodicals –
23%)

18. Skills gaps in existing workforce
28% of employers report skills gaps
Sales and marketing 64%
Technical skills (inc. computer programming, 50%
usage and web/internet design/development)
Software packages (inc. Photoshop, Avid, Final 46%
Cut Pro etc)
Business skills (inc. specific mention of 38%
entrepreneurial skills 17%)
Leadership and management 36%

19. % employers who identified them
Sa
le
s
an
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Sk
d
il ls m
in ar
us k et
in in
g g
so
ftw
ar
e
pa
ck
ag
es
Future skills gaps
Te
ch
ni
ca
ls
ki
ll s
M
ul
ti-
sk
il li
ng
Sk
il ls Bu
Broad skills areas
Potential Future Skills Gaps
to si
ne
de ss
ve
lo sk
p il ls
m
ul
ti -
pl
at
fo
rm
co
nt
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t
Source: Skillset (2010) Creative Media Employer Survey

21. ‘Digital’ skills
• Ability to meet industry standards requirements
• Maximising opportunities for e-publishing
• Innovative, creative marketing using technology
• Understanding impact of change on IP rights
• Computer programming
• Usage and data analysis
• Web/internet design and development
• Specific software skills

22. Internships and work placements
19% offered Graduate Internships
50% offered work placements or experience
74% organised via personal contacts
49% through schools
40% through universities
35% of workforce have done unpaid work
Skillset work placement guidelines
http://www.skillset.org/companies/your_staf
f/placements/article_7670_1.asp

23. Top tips
1. Professional profile (LinkedIn etc)
2. Network, network, network
3. Continuing professional development
4. Keep up-to-date, read widely
5. Conferences & events
6. Social media

24. How can Skillset help you?
Information on the publishing industry
http://www.skillset.org/publishing/
Publishing careers information
http://www.skillset.org/publishing/careers/
Free careers helpline
http://www.skillset.org/careers/
Skillset course search
http://courses.skillset.org/
Skillset work placement guidelines
http://www.skillset.org/companies/your_staff/placements
/article_7670_1.asp

25. Keep in touch
Suzanne Kavanagh
suzannek@skillset.org
www.skillset.org/publishing
www.blog.skillset.org
@sashers