DEPARTMENT FOR
INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS News Release (005/2009) issued
by COI News Distribution Service. 19 January 2009
Jobs market set to
grow despite recent downturn
A new report predicting big employment opportunities in sectors
like business, education, distribution and transport over the
current decade to 2017 was welcomed today by the Government.
The report 'Working Futures', was published by the
independent employer body, the UK Commission for Employment and
Skills (UKCES). It predicts employment trends over the next ten
years and shows that despite the current economic downturn job
prospects remain good.
The report says that there will be some sectors of the economy
where growth will be particularly strong including computing and
the service sector, and paints an optimistic picture for the
labour market over the long term to 2017.
In particular the report predicts that there were will be job
growth in areas such as:
* Business and other services - including computing and financial
services - where despite the recent downturn the number of jobs
is predicted to increase by 1.3m over the longer term.
* Distribution and transport - where around half a million new
jobs are expected to be created.
* 'Non - marketed services' - where careers in areas
such as education, health and social work are expected to see an
increase of around half a million jobs too.
* Construction - where despite the downturn the projected
benefit of public expenditure on projects such as the 2012
Olympics are expected to still help an increase of 170,000 jobs in
the longer term.
It comes at a time when the Department for Innovation,
Universities and Skills (DIUS) is working to ensure that the
skills system is geared to developing people with the right
skills, in the right place at the right time so that UK workers
can benefit from these new opportunities.
Through the
Government's Train to Gain programme it is investing almost
£1 billion in work based training, and is building on the 10
strategic funding deals with sector skills councils in key areas
such as construction, engineering, hospitality, and process and
manufacturing, to deliver the skilled staff these industries
need.
Skills Secretary John Denham said:
"Today's report from the UKCES is a welcome addition to
the work we have been doing to make sure that our workforce is
best placed to take advantage of the upturn when it comes.
"In the short term we are making sure that people who lose
their jobs have access to the real help they need. But we must not
lose sight of the future needs of our economy and do all we can to
help people get the secure career jobs they want and need in the
industries where growth will be the strongest in the coming years.
"This is why we are working to reform the skills system, and
will take a more proactive role in key sectors to bring employers,
training providers and unions together to tackle these key job shortages."
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, James Purnell said:
"We are investing to give people real help to get back to
work today, as there are still over half a million jobs available
which employers are trying to fill. We are also making reforms to
the welfare system to ensure that people have the skills they need
to fill the jobs of tomorrow.
"We will spend an extra £0.5bn to make sure that short term
unemployment does not turn into the kind of long term unemployment
that scarred communities after previous recessions."
Assuming a quick recovery the report predicts that between 2007
and 2017 employment is projected to rise with almost two million
new jobs being created. Taking account of those leaving employment
through retirement etc there is expected to be 13.5 million job
openings overall.
Notes to editors:
1. Working Futures is published by the UK Commission for
Employment and Skills is available from http://www.ukces.org.uk. The
report was authored on behalf of the UK Commission by the
Institute for Employment Research and Cambridge Econometrics
(http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ier / http://www.camecon.com/)
2. In a speech given in October to the CBI last year Skills
Secretary John Denham laid out how the government will work with
employers to effectively identify future skills needs and simplify
the skills system. To read the speech go to http://www.dius.gov.uk/speeches/denham_cbi_241008.html
3. On 17 December DIUS announced details on how a £158 million
fund will be used to help people who have lost or fear losing
their jobs. For more information please go to http://nds.coi.gov.uk/environment/fullDetail.asp?ReleaseID=387747&NewsAreaID=2&NavigatedFromDepartment=False