Education and skills

Charts and commentary on the latest statistics about schools, further education, apprenticeships, higher education and adult skills and training.

Latest data

Skill-shortage vacancies, skills gaps and employee training

Data from the employer skills survey, including the extent and types of vacancies, employee skills gaps and types of training provided by employers.
Education and skills

Education (16-18) Outcomes

The numbers and percentages of students continuing to education, apprenticeship or employment destinations in the year after completing 16 to 18 study in North East schools and colleges
Education and skills

Research and innovation funding

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding in the North East; Research Council funds for universities with an estimate for Net Zero related projects
Net Zero Education and skills Productivity and innovation

Key Stage 4 Achievements

GCSE grades by North East Educational Area
Education and skills

Graduate outcomes

Data of the migration of graduate to and from the North East and their employment outcomes
Education and skills

Education and training participation and NEET (young people)

Rates of participation in education and training and NEET for those aged 16 to 17. NEET and employment rates for under 25s.
Education and skills

Adult further education and skills

North East achievements and participation in adult (19+) FE and skills, including formal education and training as well as community learning
Education and skills

Apprenticeship achievements and starts

North East apprenticeship starts and achievements, with comparisons over time, by learner characteristic, level and local area.
Education and skills

Apprenticeship outcomes

Statistics on the employment and learning outcomes of apprenticeship learners
Education and skills

Adult Education and Training Outcomes

Statistics on the employment and learning outcomes of adult education and learning learners (excluding apprentices)
Education and skills

Key Stage 4 destinations

Data on what pupils do after KS4 study (usually year 11)
Education and skills

Job-related training

Information about working residents who have recently received job-related training
Education and skills

Higher Education - Student enrollments

Data on the amount of students at our universities
Education and skills Newcastle Durham Sunderland

Free school meal eligibility

The number and percentage of North East state-funded pupils eligible for free school meals
Poverty and deprivation Education and skills

Qualifications

Profile of the highest levels of qualification of the North East working age population
Education and skills Newcastle North Tyneside South Tyneside Durham Gateshead Sunderland Northumberland

Spotlight analysis

Understanding skills demand within domestic energy

To achieve the 2050 Net Zero targets, the UK must decarbonise the heating market at a rate of 20,000 homes per week by 2025. This presents a significant skills challenge to solve in terms of scale, pace and quality. This skills needs assessments aims to explore the opportunities this presents for the region.  

In response to these skills challenges and opportunities identified, the North East LEP alongside the North East and Yorkshire Energy Hub Board commissioned a skills needs assessment of domestic retrofit.

Ideas for Change Consulting and kMatrix Data Services were commissioned to deliver the assessment, exploring the breadth and depth of current skills provision for domestic retrofit; the barriers, challenges and gaps in training provision; qualifications needed for domestic retrofit initiatives and assessment of ‘market demand’ for such skills. This would be brought together into a 10-year legacy plan for futureproofing and strategy development.

Exploring Apprenticeships in the North East LEP area

In 2022, the North East LEP commissioned Wavehill to undertake a research project focused on exploring the scale of apprenticeship recruitment and retention and to test the assumptions identified as a priority for the Apprenticeship Provider Group. The ambition was to provide a set of actionable priorities for increasing the number of young people starting and sustaining apprenticeships. 

During the pandemic the group met twice a term and during this period it was evident that the recruitment of apprenticeships, especially for the younger age groups of 16-18 year olds, was increasingly more problematic than it was for adult apprenticeships. Provider group discussions revealed that whilst it was "felt" the region's experiences mirrored those reflected nationally, there had been a longstanding concern and decline in apprenticeships prior to March 2020. The pandemic had exacerbated this with the provider group agreeing there was high value in undertaking empirical research, in the absence of any current, regional deep dives into apprenticeships for 16-18 year olds. The aim being to arrive at evidence-based conclusions and actionable priorities to increase apprenticeship recruitment and retention.


Publications

Opportunity North East: Final Report

Opportunity North East (ONE) was a three-year, £24 million, Department for Education (DfE) sponsored project. ONE is part of DfE’s commitment to improve education and boost productivity in the North East and Tees Valley areas.
Education and skills Evaluation

North East Ambition Career Benchmarks: Primary Pilot

This interim evaluation report compromises of data and intelligence gathered at the start of the Pilot and at the end of Year 1.
Education and skills

Employment and skills needs of the offshore wind, tourism, and health and social care sectors in the North East LEP area

To inform the work of the North East Skills Advisory Panel, this research study explored the skills demand within three sectors.
Education and skills

Understanding skills provision in the Offshore Wind industry

Energi Coast Skills Group commissioned a survey exploring skills provision in the North East.
Net Zero Education and skills Research

North East LEP Local Skills Report

In March 2022, the North East LEP produced a local skills report
Education and skills

North East Ambition Career Benchmarks: Primary Pilot. Year 1 report

This interim evaluation report compromises of data and intelligence gathered at the start of the Pilot and at the end of Year 1.
Education and skills Evaluation

Opportunity North East Summary Report April 2020

ONE is a data driven project, collating and extrapolating data from a student level up to whole project level. This report presents headline findings to help inform decision making for the project moving forward.
Education and skills Evaluation

Rapid review of potential labour and skills impact on the green economy and digital skills within health and social care

The Institute of Employment Studies completed a rapid literature review to understand the labour and skills impacts of developments in digital and technology within health and social health and the green economy.
Net Zero Education and skills Research

Exploring future skills needs within the Health and Life Sciences ecosystem

On behalf of the North East Skills Advisory Panel, the North East LEP has explored current and future skills needs within a growing area of our regional economy.
Education and skills Research

Digital Exclusion in the North East

Commissioned by the North East LEP’s Skills Advisory Panel (SAP), the report highlights the impact digital exclusion in the North East is having on people’s ability to access education, skills and employment.
Education and skills Research