UK Faces Regional ‘Skills Chasm’ as Education Gap Widens

People in London (66%) are twice as likely to hold a degree than rural regions such as Greater Lincolnshire (33%), fuelling a growing skills divide across the UK, warns the Learning and Work Institute.

The Institute’s latest report highlights that economic growth in the UK is at risk due to a stark skills divide among regions, with London and the South-East continuing to attract highly qualified workers, leaving other regions trailing behind in educational attainment. 

If the trend continues, by 2035, 71 per cent of Londoners and 65 per cent of adults in Scotland are estimated to hold a degree, compared to just 29 per cent in East Yorkshire and 39 per cent in Norfolk.

27% of Adults in the West Midlands have qualifications below GCSE level, compared to 9% in West London

27 per cent of adults in the West Midlands have qualifications below GCSE level, compared to just 9 per cent in West London, a gap wider than in Ireland, Norway or Finland.

Laura Lodwick, Chief of Hub Operations for Talent for AND Digital, said: “For the UK to grow as a whole, the government, local councils and regional businesses need an aligned investment strategy across education and training and a strategy to retain top local talent.”

“This retention strategy should centre on skills training, with local businesses offering courses and constant upskilling opportunities that lead towards career progression and perks that encourage people to stay within their communities. UK growth will be fuelled by a policy of people AND innovation, equipping individuals across the country with expertise in fast-growing areas such as AI, which will drive productivity and efficiency. Technology has no boundaries, so making all regions a more attractive option for the UK’s digital nomads can play an important role in bridging the digital skills gap.”

Closing the skills gap between London and the rest of the UK would require an additional 4 million non-Londoners to obtain a higher education qualification. 

In England, the recently set up Skills England is in charge of overseeing training and education, as well as reforming the apprenticeships system, while Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own agencies.

Sheila Flavell CBE, COO of FDM Group, commented: “For the UK to expect significant growth in crucial sectors such as technology, the UK workforce needs to be equipped with core skills including data and analytics, software engineering and IT operations in order to drive that growth across all regions. While London is an important growth hub, if the majority of tech skills are concentrated there then how can we expect regional growth to keep pace.”

“Businesses across the regions should work closely with Skills England to identify the high growth disciplines and key skills that will support the development of a highly skilled digital workforce. A degree isn’t the only form of education to gain digital skills, apprenticeships and business training initiatives offer upskilling and reskilling in a real-world environment. Training programmes incorporating experiential learning can instil continuous learning of core skills, simulating real-world scenarios to give people industry-standard experience and expertise. This will help foster a UK-wide workforce ready to lead global innovation.”

A push for skills in the UK will be important for Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Plan for Change from December, which promised “more people in good jobs, higher living standards, and productivity growth in every part of the United Kingdom.”

Digital Poverty Alliance: 19 million people in the UK who are digitally excluded

Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance, said: “There are upwards of 19 million people in the UK who are digitally excluded according to our research with Deloitte, many of which lack the essential digital skills to get online, let alone obtain a degree. While the focus is on higher education, it is vital that the government, local councils and education bodies also recognise the extent of the skills gap for those without digital access. Those who are looking to use a laptop and access essential services such as online learning and education, which many of us take for granted.”

“From a policy perspective, the government’s pledge to break down opportunity and focus on disadvantaged children within its Plan for Change is key. Digital sits at the heart of education, with a move towards examinations taking place online rather than written, and with nine in 10 students surveyed expected to complete homework or coursework online.  We must this see as part of this provision for children to access technology in the classroom, and teach digital literacy including critical thinking and online safety. Taking this approach across the country will ensure children in all schools are given at least a basic level of digital education.“